Gundam SEED Destiny: Renegade
by Rhapsidiast
Summary: KL AC MM DM SL YS Post-GSD. Athrun refused to believe it. How... Why? How did Kira, that gentle person who never wanted to fight again, found himself in Freedom's cockpit once more, finally battling to his death? What if he... survived? Complete.
1. PHASE 01: Introduction

**Full Summary:** Set five years after Gundam SEED Destiny. With Lacus being the Chairman of the PLANTs and Cagalli ruling over the Orb Union, everyone thought that the battle between Naturals and Coordinators was finally over, yet the world seems to think otherwise. As battles raged on Earth and in Space, Kira Yamato will face his final fight, his destiny, as the one and only Ultimate Coordinator. Learning about his past and the road laid out in front of him, Kira struggles once again to protect the world. But the only hope he really had in making this a reality was with his old comrades and his old childhood friend, Athrun Zala.

* * *

><p><strong>PHASE ONE: Introduction<strong>

The shuttle landed safely. Lacus Clyne, Chairman of PLANTs, hurriedly disembarked from the shuttle, followed closely by the ZAFT military general, Yzak Joule. She was greeted instantly by a familiar face, the representative of the Orb Union, Cagalli Yula Attha and her Admiral, Athrun Zala. Athrun and Yzak both stopped in their tracks, saluting each other out of respect, though Athrun could just imagine Yzak silently snorting as he was sure the silver-haired had wanted to. Formalities won, however, and Yzak looked as smart as ever in his purple ZAFT uniform, a sign of being a ZAFT General. Athrun, too, looked handsome in his blue-and-white Orb uniform, the yellow band on the uniform signalling his position.

The shuttle had come from PLANTs. Lacus's face clearly showed her worry, and both Cagalli and Athrun could not blame her for it after what had happened. Cagalli's eyes portrayed pure anger at the songstress – it was only due to Orb being a neutral union that kept the representative from launching an attack on both Lacus and Yzak right there and then.

"There is a lot to discuss," Cagalli greeted them coolly, and Athrun could see Lacus visibly wincing at the icy tone. "Come on," Cagalli said, turning to lead them away.

Lacus pressed her lips together, saying nothing as she followed Cagalli. Athrun allowed them both to pass ahead, falling in step with his old friend, Yzak. He, too, did not know what to say to the silver-haired commander. For once, Yzak did not have any biting comments. Athrun realised that he seemed to be in deep thought; his eyes were fiery and troubled as if holding back an enormous amount of anger. There was something wrong.

"Yzak -"

"It's not as it looks," Yzak cut him off, ignoring all formalities as Athrun had done. "Ceh. If I find out who's behind all this, I'll..." he trailed off, his fists clenched so tightly and his face so tense that Athrun couldn't help but feel shocked. Weren't they the ones who started the war first?

They went into Cagalli's private study. Lacus sat down on the red sofa provided and Yzak moved to stand loyally by her side. Cagalli paid them no particular attention as she went to the intercom by her desk, telling the commanding officers nearby that under no circumstances whatsoever were they to be disturbed, or they would regret it. They were to be given full privacy and even if bullets went flying in the room, nobody was allowed to disturb. Cagalli ended the line before the shocked soldiers could even respond to her.

Once that was settled, Cagalli went towards the visitors, not even bothering to sit down. Athrun was already feeling somewhat nervous – Cagalli had a biting temper, and it seemed as if she would explode at any time now. The fact that the Orb representative was silent and unable to find the right curses to shout at Lacus and Yzak made it all worse. Even Lacus seemed timid, her mind racing as she wondered how to address the situation.

Athrun decided to break the silence. "How is Maius One and Two?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Lacus seemed grateful for the easy opening to their to-be harsh discussion, but her eyes were dull with sadness as she turned her face away, unable to meet their eyes. "Destroyed. It was just like the attack on Junius Seven – nobody survived. The civilians..." she trailed off, her eyes clouding.

"And you think you didn't deserve it?" Cagalli asked scathingly.

Athrun winced. "Cagalli!" he reprimanded her, his hand grabbing her arm.

Cagalli pulled away. "We had five years of _peace_! Five years after fighting _constantly_, finally believing that this war between Coordinators and Naturals has finally ended! What happened? ZAFT is under your command, Lacus! Why did you attack the South African Union without warning? Thousands of people DIED!" she cried out angrily, only slightly grateful that Athrun had grabbed her again to restrain her. She could not control her temper, but even she knew that attacking the Chairman of ZAFT would put Orb in danger. "After attacking them like that, destroying the Botswana base, did you really think the Earth Alliance wouldn't fight back by destroying Maius One and Two?"

"Cagalli!" Lacus cried out, her voice pleading.

"It wasn't Lacus. It wasn't me, either," Yzak's voice was sharp as ice, silencing Cagalli and Lacus both. Athrun had rarely seen the peak of Yzak's anger, but he knew that now was one of the times he would. Yzak had a short temper, but only when he seemed to be under control that Athrun knew the other Coordinator to be at his most lethal.

Cagalli clenched her fists together, casting her eyes away. Deep down, she already knew it wasn't them who had issued the order to attack the South African Union. But it did not mean they weren't responsible for it, as the attack had clearly been made by ZAFT forces. She fell silent, allowing Lacus to explain herself.

"We don't know who ordered the attack," Lacus said quietly, bowing her head. "It never came from me, or Yzak. The ZAFT forces in Victoria were scheduled for a mock battle to test out new mobile suits, ensuring that there were no anomalies, but somehow, they managed to launch an attack at Botswana. The military network in Victoria had been hacked into – we don't know which mobile suits were responsible for the attack, or which soldiers had betrayed us," Lacus explained.

"What?" Athrun, shocked, released Cagalli's arm. "This wasn't a ZAFT attack?"

"It was a coup d'état," Yzak said, suddenly turning to punch the wall behind him. "Kuso! We didn't even see it coming!"

"We didn't have the time to inform the Earth Alliance. Barely an hour passed before Maius One and Two were destroyed by high-tech nuclear weapons," Lacus continued, her brows furrowed. "I managed to speak to the head of the Earth Alliance, Sirne Anfiel. He said that they did not issue the attack on Maius One and Two. Unless the EA had been planning to attack PLANTs all this time, I don't think it was possible that they could have counter-attacked so soon."

"Two coup d'états?" Athrun repeated incredulously. "But... why? Why now?"

"It seemed planned to me," Yzak said, his eyes narrowed. "The Earth Alliance claimed to have the same problem as we do – they didn't know which base was responsible for the attack."

"Impossible..." Cagalli slumped into a chair, burying her head in her hands. "Why... Why did this happen?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head again.

The intercom by Cagalli's desk suddenly beeped, and a shaky voice greeted them. "Cagalli-sama! Cagalli-sama!"

"_Kuso_! I thought my orders were clear!" Cagalli jumped up, her voice loud enough that they did not need an intercom to hear her.

"I'm sorry, Cagalli-sama! Our officers received something from the communications network. It's the Freedom!" the intercom continued hurriedly. "Freedom is engaged in battle!"

"WHAT?" Athrun shouted, running towards the desk and pressing the button of the intercom. "What's going on? Explain now!"

"Kira..." Lacus whispered, her eyes growing wide.

"I'm sorry! The communications network is receiving a live coverage of the Freedom in battle, but we don't know where the source is from. It's battling against mobile suits from ZAFT and the EA. It seems as though Freedom has been engaged in battle for ten hours now."

"Put it on the screen, now!" Athrun commanded.

"Ten hours?" Cagalli repeated, barely able to believe it. "But that's..."

"Just after Maius One and Two were destroyed," Lacus said, shaking her head. "Around four hours after the attack on the South African Union.

A large screen above the fireplace of the room flickered to life and the image of the Freedom battling against mobile suits were shown. It was plain that they were fighting on Earth, but no land was in sight. They were fighting above the ocean, the Freedom clearly heavily damaged. It was no surprise, of course, after being engaged in a ten-hour battle. Athrun could see that the Freedom's movements were very slow – even for an Ultimate Coordinator, a battle like that couldn't be won. Kira would be extremely exhausted by now, and that was an understatement.

There was an intake of breath – Lacus's. "Those mobile suits..."

"Those mobile suits are the latest developments from Maius!" Yzak burst out. Maius of PLANTs specialises in robotic engineering and applied mechanical engineering amongst others.

"And the Earth Alliance's mobile suits... Didn't they say that Botswana is also developing new-modelled mobile suits?" Cagalli continued quietly, shaking her head. "The South African Union is the latest nation to join the Earth Alliance. Botswana was immediately chosen as a base for developing new mobile suits. Despite the protests, Sirne Anfiel launched the base three years ago. He deliberately formed the base in the middle of the PLANTs territories, presumably to ensure the opposition that the EA are not developing anything beyond the treaty. But... what is Kira doing there?"

* * *

><p>"<em>Kuso<em>!" Kira breathed heavily, his eyes beginning to blur considerably as he shook his head, disabling yet another mobile suit. As he had already predicted, he was caught right in a trap. But it was necessary, in order to protect Orb...

The mobile suits did nothing to hide their identities. The logos of both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT decorated them both, and they had been attacking constantly, their numbers never seeming to decrease. Nobody thought this would happen; it was well beyond anything that had happened before. Silently, Kira cursed himself for not being able to see it coming. Why was mankind capable of something like this? He desperately tried to push away Rau Le Crusset's words that had been spoken years before. It was _not_ futile to try and save the world.

_I can't go on much longer like this..._ Kira thought desperately as his second beam rifle exploded right in front of him, sending the Strike Freedom backwards due to the force of the explosion. _What am I supposed to do?_

It was not an easy battle for ZAFT and the EA, and they, too, were beginning to tire from the endless battle. But though their forces kept on switching, Kira was a lone fighter. He wondered why they hadn't destroyed him yet. Surely, one mobile suit against this many was an easy kill? Why did they allow him to live and fight for so long like this? A small, niggling voice at the back of Kira's mind tried to make sense of the situation – maybe they're not fighting to destroy him, but had another purpose? If so, what?

He took out his last weapon, the double beam sword, and rushed forwards, disabling one mobile suit after another. Even diving into the ocean would be a futile attempt, as there were mobile armours there just waiting to ambush him. It was impossible to run away. They were having fun taunting him. Kira breathed hard, sweat covering his face. A small mistake on his side allowed a ZAFT mobile suit to land a hard blow by the Freedom's side, and while the Gundam was thrown out of control, an EA mobile suit struck from above, cutting Freedom's right arm easily with its beam saber. The gravity pulled the Freedom towards the ocean, but just before it made contact with the water, Kira pushed the valve and the machine rose again. The alarms sounding in Freedom's cockpit were deafening as multiple warnings were issued. The legs of the Freedom had already been blasted away earlier, and it was only thanks to the hyper-deuterion nuclear reactor in the Strike Freedom that Kira could still move.

_No... Not like this..._ Kira thought desperately as a mobile suit slammed him from behind, throwing him forwards. But he knew even before he entered the battle that this was the last for him. _For Orb... Just to buy them some time. Athrun... protect Cagalli... protect Lacus..._ He had succeeded in destroying as many mobile suits as possible in the long battle. Another mobile suit fired and the last beam sword exploded, sending the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom towards the ocean again, this time front-first. If Kira pushed the valve, it would only thrust him into the ocean where the mobile armours were waiting to destroy him.

* * *

><p>"Kira!" Cagalli shouted, knowing full well that her twin could never hear her from the room. The Freedom plunged into the ocean, sending a large display of water upwards. They all knew that there were mobile armours below – otherwise, the Freedom would have made its escape by now.<p>

They watched in silence. The Freedom, now weaponless, had no chance of surviving the attack. Tears flowed down Lacus's cheeks as her heart pounded against her chest. Then, suddenly, the Freedom exploded from the water, heading at full thrust towards the sky. The force of the water shocked the mobile suits at first, but it was apparent that the Strike Freedom had nowhere to go. A couple of mobile suits were ready – one from ZAFT and another from the EA.

The EA mobile suit slammed its leg at full-force against the Freedom's cockpit, and as the Freedom flew out of control, a ZAFT mobile suit sliced the Gundam cleanly from the top with its beam sword. Cagalli, Lacus, Yzak and Athrun watched, horror-stricken, as the two halves of the Freedom fell towards the ocean again, exploding just before it could touch the water's surface in a loud, deafening bang.

Athrun fell to his hands and knees as Lacus jumped up, her eyes wet with tears. Cagalli took a few steps back while Yzak was rooted to the spot, unable to believe what his eyes had seen.

Athrun heaved a few deep breaths –the reality of the situation was too unreal for all of them.

"KIRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I've been planning this fic for ages now. The situation throughout the five years between GSD and this fic will be explained in later chapters - I absolutely hated the way GSD ended. There will be romance, there will be action. The usual pairings will be Kira/Lacus, Cagalli/Athrun, Mu/Murrue, Shinn/Lunamaria and possibly Dearka/Miriallia - though I'm still unsure about that one. I'm trying to be as canonic as possible with this fic, so if I make any factual mistakes, please correct me! Anyway, I hope you liked the introduction! Please drop a review behind, at least so I know there's someone reading this!


	2. PHASE 02: The Aftermath of War

**PHASE TWO: The Aftermath of War**

**C.E 74 Battle of Messiah (Five Years Ago)**

It finally ended. The Battle of Messiah and the destruction of the Neo-GENESIS were two operations that had been carried out successfully, in the sense that the battle was stopped and the Neo-GENESIS was fully destroyed. However, just like with the battle in Jachin Due two years ago, nobody smiled when the battle ended. Kira Yamato, still in Strike Freedom's cockpit, watched wordlessly as several parts of the fortress exploded fell from its orbit, the destruction quickly taking place from inside. There was nothing he could do about Chairman Durandal but he, and his close friend Athrun Zala, had left Captain Talia Gladys and Elite ZAFT Soldier Rey Za Burrel to die inside the Neo-GENESIS, along with the Chairman. It was yet another unnecessary sacrifice due to war.

Kira turned his eyes on Athrun's Gundam, the Infinite Justice, and knew that his old friend was perhaps as torn as he was – maybe even more. After all, Captain Gladys and Rey had been his comrades when he had rejoined ZAFT. Kira was sure that Athrun was feeling more at lost than he was. They listened to Lacus's statement to stop the battle and watched as the mother ships released their signals that all mobile suits should withdraw and return back to the ship. Even the Archangel and the Eternal launched their signal flares, and Kira exhaled slowly. It's truly over now.

"Athrun," Kira said, his Freedom's hand moving to rest on the Justice's shoulder. "Let's go."

"Ah," Athrun responded. Kira could hear the dullness in his tone.

They moved, watching as the other mobile suits returned. The communications channel was quiet – everyone was lost in their thoughts of the aftermath of war. Kira watched as the Justice suddenly moved away and spotted two elite ZAFT soldiers standing on the moon. Understanding swept over the young Coordinator and he moved the Freedom at full-thrust back towards the Eternal where he knew that, as always, Lacus was waiting for him.

Athrun saw the two Gundams before he saw the pilots, but even so, he knew that they were there. He had been responsible for the damage to the Destiny and Impulse after all. Wordlessly, Athrun landed in front of them and crouched forwards, offering his hand for them to get on, almost similar to how he had offered his hand to Kira at the end of the battle in Jachin Due two years ago. That had always seemed to be his role, somehow: the one who offered the chance to move on, always fighting for his comrades and never forgetting those who had died. Yet, with this war, he had been foolish – extremely so. He had wanted to believe in the Chairman so much that he was willing to fight against Kira again, just to ensure that they had their peaceful lives again. That was what he had told everyone, but both Cagalli and Athrun knew that it wasn't the full truth. Even the Chairman knew that... even Kira knew that. Athrun had been such an open book to read after all.

For two years he had tried to hide himself and hide his identity of being Patrick Zala's son. For two years he had been under the alias of Alex Dino, Cagalli's personal bodyguard. It was ironic how in times of peace, he had blatantly refused to join the military under Cagalli, but during war, he had no second thoughts of joining ZAFT. He remembered what Cagalli had said to him before the Archangel disembarked to space – what Cagalli had said before taking off the ring that he had given to her before joining ZAFT:

"_You're very unstable, Athrun..." she had said, echoing the words she had once said after finding out that Athrun had destroyed the Strike by self-destructing the Aegis. She had been smiling, but her eyes were crying. "I know you wanted to protect me... and Kira..." Cagalli trailed off, casting her eyes away. "You needed the power that only ZAFT could have given you at the time, but then you believed in the Chairman's words. Kira didn't because the Coordinators attacked Lacus, but you didn't know it at that time, and it wasn't your fault..." she said, sighing. "But even after we told you about the attack, you still refused to leave ZAFT. It's because you were searching... right? You were searching for yourself, and it's alright. I know that. I think even now, you're still searching..." Cagalli trailed off, the tears escaping from her eyes before she hugged him tightly. He had cried then because for the umpteenth time, Cagalli's words struck home._

Athrun remembered what the Chairman had told him when they had first met. If the name is false, then the whole identity is false. It was true... Athrun _had_ been searching for himself. He had been searching so hard for what he needed to be and what he needed to do to end the war that he had forgotten Kira's words when they were involved in the First Bloody Valentine – that even _they_ did not fully know what they were supposed to do, which was why they were still searching for it. Athrun had fully believed that he had found what he needed to do by following the Chairman's orders. Even though the attack on Lacus niggled at his mind, Athrun couldn't help but think that it was done by the same extremists who had upheld his father's views, the extremists who had tried to move Junius Seven to destroy Earth...

Most of all, Athrun knew that the ultimate reason why he joined ZAFT was to protect Cagalli and Kira. He had seen Cagalli cry too many times during the previous war, had suffered greatly when Orb was forced to burn itself rather than hand themselves over to the Earth Alliance. When he had joined Kira on the Archangel after obtaining the Justice, Athrun had been woken up too many times upon hearing the other Coordinator's painful cries in his sleep. He had seen the effect of the war on Kira, and he feared on what might happen if Kira was forced to fight again. He had wanted to believe in the Chairman so much because doing so would mean that Kira and Cagalli did not need to fight anymore... He had tried too hard, and he wanted too much, and at the same time believing in the wrong person when he should have trusted himself.

Could he blame himself for it, though..? Last time he had trusted himself, he had joined ZAFT, hated the Naturals, and came face-to-face with Kira. Last time, he had bounded the Aegis to the Strike, self-destructing his machine in a real attempt to kill the one individual who, at the time, had been someone Athrun had cared about the most. Athrun had cried endlessly after that, often questioning his father and the war itself. If even close friends were forced to fight against each other, then who was responsible to stop the fighting?

Athrun knew now, however... He was Athrun Zala. He couldn't achieve peace if he allowed himself to follow orders without knowing why. It was as Kira had told him after he had escaped from ZAFT's Gibraltar Base in the GOUF; it was when he had first opened his eyes to see Kira, whom he had previously believed to be dead:

"_It's okay, Athrun..." Kira had said, the gentle smile never leaving his lips as tears flowed freely from the other Coordinator's cheeks. "If you fight for the right thing, your comrades will come to you. If you believe in the same thing, you'll fight with them eventually, even if you're not a soldier. Together."_

He wanted to return to Orb... He wanted to take Cagalli in his arms again and stay by her side as Athrun Zala. He wanted to protect Orb's ideals, to live peacefully with both Coordinators and Naturals.

Athrun shook his head and cleared his thoughts, watching the two elite pilots who were still standing in front of him. It was funny how he could understand Shinn so well, perhaps because he could see himself in the black-haired Coordinator. Two years ago, he had been fighting for Junius Seven just as how Shinn had been fighting for his family. But no matter how many Naturals he killed, he could never get his mother back, as painful as it was. The only option he had was to protect those who lived, and continue protecting them – he had been unable to do so with his mother, but he was able to do that with Kira and Cagalli.

"Shinn..." Athrun said quietly, watching as the other Coordinator raised his head to look at the Gundam. "Let's go home."

Home. Orb.

It was funny how, even after all these years, Shinn Asuka had always associated the word 'home' with 'Orb'. No matter how long he lived in PLANTs, no matter how much he told himself that PLANTs was where he belonged, it was always Orb that came to his mind whenever he heard the word. Shinn knew that Athrun was talking about Orb. He knew that it was Orb that Athrun was most protective of, which was why he had disappeared under the name Alex Dino. But to hear even Athrun calling Orb his home, Shinn remembered what Athrun had said to him before...

"_Think back, Shinn. What do you really want?"_

_"Hi! Mayu here! Sorry, I can't talk to you right now. I'll call you back later. Please leave your name after the beep!"_

"_Shinn... protect Stellar..."_

He wanted his family back... All this time, he had been fighting for that... For his family. For Mayu. For a very short time, he had been fighting to protect Stellar, and even with that he had failed. Maybe, deep inside, he had been fighting to protect Orb as well. No matter how much he hated that place, no matter how much he wanted it to be destroyed, it was still the one place he always remembered. Shinn's knees buckled under him and he cried, not caring that Athrun was watching, not registering Lunamaria who hugged him from behind as she, too, cried for the war. He did not even know that in the Justice, Athrun was also crying.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 74 – PLANTs<strong>

A few weeks had passed and things were finally beginning to calm in PLANTs and also on Earth. Lacus had agreed to join the ZAFT Supreme Council, but through the loyalty of the Coordinators and the faith they had, she received the position as Chairwoman of PLANTs. She did a thorough military clean-up in ZAFT, firstly by immediately promoting Yzak Joule as her private personal advisor, earning him the rights to personally accompany her in international relations. He was the youngest to receive such a position, yet it was one he deserved due to the warning he had issued to the Eternal before the Requiem fired.

Much to Yzak's dismay, Dearka Elsman was then promoted as a Captain, earning him the black ZAFT uniform. The blonde Coordinator was also placed as second-in-command under him in the Joule Squadron – something that Yzak believed Lacus did just to spite him. In return for accepting Dearka (though everyone knew Yzak was actually grateful to have his old comrade back), Yzak had demanded that Shiho Hahnenfuss remained with his team though he refused to give a reason why.

Kira Yamato also agreed to join ZAFT and was ranked as a private ZAFT Commander who led special cases instead of commanding an elite team. Yzak and Dearka had already known, of course, that Kira was the pilot of the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom, but that fact was hushed to the public. Most of the military personnel in ZAFT wondered about Kira's sudden appearance, but they later learned that Kira had been working with Lacus Clyne since the first war, finding out harsh truths and working hard to oppose both sides of the war to obtain peace. They assumed that Kira was a follower of Lacus Clyne, in which case having him as a trustworthy member would be no surprise. The story wasn't exactly a lie and since the end of the war, Kira had been carefully monitoring the works of all the PLANTs, ensuring that nothing breached the new treaty.

Once the peace treaty was put in full effect over the Earth Alliance, the Neutral Nations and the ZAFT Territories, Lacus Clyne dismantled the FAITH Special Forces unit. She made a public speech in which the world was now to recognise the Archangel and with it, the Freedom, as an independent peace-keeping force. Members of the Archangel were given badges in the form of a flying white bird, signalling their position. Similar to FAITH, they had the power to act on free will if they were under the military. Both Kira and Athrun were awarded the Archangel badge, as well as the original crew members: Murrue Ramius, Mu La Flaga, Dalida Lolaha Chandra II, Jackie Tonomura, Miriallia Haw, Arnold Neumann, Romero Pal, Kojiro Murdoch and a handful of others. The names of the Archangel members were not revealed. The pilot of Strike Freedom was still a mystery to mankind.

The Earth Alliance, who was least agreeable of having members who could perform out of their own free will, only accepted and acknowledged the Archangel unit once they found out that none of the Archangel members were from their military. However, it was common knowledge for the Earth Alliance that the captain of the Archangel, Murrue Ramius, and a mobile armour pilot, Mu La Flaga, had been from their own military. They were also aware of the fact that many of the original Archangel's crew members were Earth Alliance soldiers to begin with. It was not known to them whether the original crew were still with the Archangel or not, and the EA acknowledged the Archangel unit though nobody believed that they were needed any longer.

Surprisingly, a large number of people from the public of all three territories voiced out their support for the Archangel after witnessing the Battle of Messiah, thanks to Chairman Durandal who had insisted that the public see the truth with their own eyes. Highly strong supporters of the Archangel gave out their own badges to signal their support – a duplicate of the original, only silver instead of white. Among those who faithfully wore the badges were Lacus Clyne, Cagalli Yula Attha, Yzak Joule, Dearka Elsman, Shiho Hahnenfuss, Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke, Meyrin Hawke, Andrew Waltfeld and many more.

Managing the PLANTs took a few weeks, and Kira was unable to see Lacus due to the workload they both faced. He was also responsible for contacting the Archangel crew, but that was a simple task – they were all in Orb, after all. Disembarking from the shuttle, Kira had barely tasted the fresh air of Earth before he was nearly thrown off balance by his sister. Cagalli hugged him tight, her eyes shining with happy tears as she fussed over him. Athrun stood behind her, a smile carved on his lips – he was wearing Orb's admiral uniform.

"It's great to see you, Cagalli," Kira said, the joy unmistaken in his voice. This was unlike the aftermath of the first war – this time, they all knew their position in the world and the role they needed to play. This time, nobody was lost. "Hello, Athrun," Kira greeted his old friend. Torii, who had been circling them since Kira had disembarked from the shuttle, perched itself on Athrun's shoulder.

"Everyone's waiting at Captain Ramius's house," Athrun said, placing his hand on the other Coordinator's shoulder as a sign of greeting. He regarded Kira who was dressed in ZAFT's white uniform approvingly. Kira had come alone.

"How is everything in Orb?" Kira asked as they walked, glad to see that the place seemed peaceful as ever.

"Everything is fine. Orb seems to have suffered the least in the last war," Athrun replied. He paused. "Kira... Did you think it was a good idea that the Archangel is acknowledged in public?" he asked. It was one thing he had been thinking of for a while now.

Kira smiled. He, too, had been surprised when Lacus had revealed the idea to him, but the songstress's words had been firm. He repeated Lacus's words to them, hopeful that they would understand; "Back during the war – both wars – there were soldiers who didn't want to fight against us but they had to because it was their duty to serve the military," Kira paused. He and Athrun both knew the feeling of fighting against themselves for the sake of following orders. "When Orb's Murasame units fled to us after the Takemizakuchi sunk, we learned that many of their soldiers did not want to fight," he stopped, glancing at Cagalli.

The Orb Representative was thoughtful. "Many civilians didn't agree as well... Most of the soldiers trusted the Archangel to put things right like they did with the previous war," she said quietly.

Athrun wanted to argue and say that even back then, people were already aware of the Archangel, but then he stopped himself. A small, dark chuckle escaped his lips as he finally understood what both Kira and Cagalli had really wanted to say. _Typical Lacus..._ Athrun thought, shaking his head slightly. He remembered Lacus's words loud and clear during the first war, when he had been unable to accept her as a traitor:

"_On the battlefield... and even on PLANT, to which you have recently returned... Have you not seen anything? What do you believe in and fight for, Athrun? Is it the medals? Your father's orders? ...If that is true, Kira may become your enemy once again... And I as well. If I was your enemy... would you shoot me? Athrun Zala of ZAFT!"_

"I understand," he said, and this time, he meant it. The Archangel badge wasn't a symbol of power or the ability to move without following orders. The Archangel badge was a symbol, a reminder, to follow one's own heart and judgement. Unlike Athrun, who had previously followed Chairman Zala and then Chairman Durandal, Kira had always followed his better judgement. The Archangel badge was to symbolise individual free will – that even if opinions clashed, there were still others who supported it. It was as Kira had said;

"_It's okay, Athrun... If you fight for the right thing, your comrades will come to you. If you believe in the same thing, you'll fight with them eventually, even if you're not a soldier. Together."_

"I understand," Athrun repeated softly.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 74 - Orb Union<strong>

The meeting was cheerful, all the members of the Archangel finally rejoicing the fact that they had peace once again. They talked and laughed, and at times they spoke of their losses and allowed their thoughts and sadness to consume them before they comforted each other and laughed again. Kira stayed for three days, observing the Orb's military as it strengthens itself again, spending time with Cagalli, Athrun and his close comrades. After three days, Kira finally asked to leave, giving the excuse that he had done his job – but they all knew that Kira wanted to see Lacus. It had been weeks since he had the opportunity, after all.

Athrun decided to join Kira, wanting to see the condition in PLANTs himself as well as to consult Lacus. Cagalli hugged Kira tightly, apologising to him because this time, she couldn't accompany him to his shuttle and told him to take care. Kira replied by telling her not to worry, and that he would visit soon – and regularly – with Lacus as soon as things were really calm once again. He turned and walked ahead, allowing Athrun and Cagalli to have a moment of peace for them to exchange words and embrace each other. Athrun left to follow Kira a few minutes later, leaving Cagalli alone with the lingering feel of the touch of his lips against hers.

They walked together, talking and reminiscing before Kira suddenly stopped in his tracks, spotting the previous pilot of Destiny. With black hair and fiery red eyes, Shinn Asuka also stopped, blinking in surprise at the sight of the Freedom's pilot dressed in ZAFT's white uniform. He had met Kira before at the memorial stone of Orb, but he didn't expect that they would meet again. He _never_ expected to see Kira Yamato in a ZAFT uniform, especially not a white one. Lunamaria asked why they had stopped walking before noticing that both Shinn and Meyrin had their eyes on Kira and Athrun. Then, she too raised her eyebrows in surprise, unable to greet either of the two Coordinators.

Kira glanced at Athrun and smiled, moving slowly towards the three who were standing there. "Hello, Shinn Asuka. Meyrin," Kira greeted them, then turning his eyes on Lunamaria. They had met previously, but they had never been formally introduced to each other.

"Lunamaria Hawke," Lunamaria offered immediately.

"Kira Yamato," Kira said, offering his hand. He turned his gaze back to Shinn.

"Kira Yamato..." Shinn trailed off. "Freedom's pilot."

Kira smiled – he wouldn't have defined himself in that manner. "ZAFT is rebuilding itself... and we still need a lot of experienced pilots and fighters to protect and help the PLANTs... Come back to ZAFT," he offered, surprising all three of them, even Athrun. "Let's fight together... for the world that we all want," he said sincerely. Shinn cast his eyes away. Since he returned to Orb with Athrun after the Battle of Messiah, he did not know what he needed to do. But to be offered a place in ZAFT again, along with the pilot of Freedom no less... He had always been a soldier after all.

Shinn did the one thing he knew he would do, if not today, then undoubtedly in the future – he agreed.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 74 - PLANTs<strong>

Getting Meyrin, Lunamaria and Shinn back in the ZAFT forces took a few more days of work, but it was a simple procedure. Shinn and Lunamaria were still recognised as elite soldiers, and Shinn proudly wore his red ZAFT uniform once again. When they both looked at each other, both clad in their red ZAFT uniform again, Shinn held Lunamaria's hand and knew exactly what he was fighting for this time. When Meyrin appeared with her green ZAFT uniform, followed closely by Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala, they all looked at the Orb Admiral and shared one thought – two of them were missing: Heine Westenfluss and Rey Za Burrel, the two elite soldiers who had fought with them. It was Rey's absence that was most clearly felt among them.

The group were greeted at the PLANT platform by Hilda Harken, the Three Ships Alliance's Trooper Team leader who was also wearing a red ZAFT uniform. She had bright orange hair and a black eye-patch covering her left eye. Along with her were two ZAFT soldiers clad in the green ZAFT uniform. As the elevator descended towards PLANT, Hilda announced that Chairwoman Lacus Clyne was already waiting which pleased Kira, but made Lunamaria and Meyrin nervous beyond belief. They, and many others, still saw Lacus as the popular songstress instead of the new Chairwoman of ZAFT. Kira could hardly contain his excitement as they descended, fidgeting nervously while Athrun held back his laughter – it was too long since Kira and Lacus had been kept apart from each other after all. The elevator door opened and Kira led the way towards the exit as the commanding officer – Athrun walked with him on his right while Shinn remained on his left.

The doors to PLANT opened and, sure enough, there was a small group of elite soldiers waiting for them. Athrun smiled upon seeing Yzak and Dearka among those who were there, and he also identified the familiar face of Shiho Hahnenfuss in the red ZAFT uniform. It was Lacus, however, that caught Kira's eye, dressed in the Chairman's black robes with her long hair tied back.

"Kira!" she called out happily and Kira raced towards her, embracing her tightly in his arms, glad that she was safe and that they were finally together again.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Thank you so much for the reviews, AsuCaga4ever, WaaWaa, hakuMeyen & PrincessOfDestiny14! :D You have no idea how happy it made me. Anyway, I'm sorry this chapter didn't cover what had happened to Kira. XD It's necessary for me to make things clear on what happened (in my interpretation) after SEED Destiny first – especially on Athrun's character and the positions of Dearka, Shiho, Lacus and Kira in ZAFT. Yzak will face another change in the next chapter. Publicising the Archangel to the public is also necessary. If things goes to plan, the next chapter will cover Cagalli/Athrun, Mu/Murrue/Andrew Waltfeld , Yzak/Shiho/Dearka and a few other characters before going back to present day. Anyway, this chapter covers the ending of SD's Final Phase and the OVA. The way I interpreted it, the OVA happened before the ending to SD's Special Edition. I hope nothing confuses you!

Also, if any of you have any requests/suggestions as well as ideas for character personalities or even weapons for Gundams, I welcome them. Maybe you have an idea for a specific Gundam, or even a name for it – there will be OCs in this fic, and I'd love it if you wish to contribute some ideas. Enjoy, and please review!

**AsuCaga4ever:** Unfortunately, Stellar died in Destiny. T.T I actually prefer Shinn/Stellar a heck of a lot myself, but there's nothing I can do about it considering that Shinn and Lunamaria did get together towards the end of SD. I'll see what I can do about Yzak/Shiho – I actually never fully noticed her in the canon due to her lack of lines, but pairing Yzak with her sounds like an interesting twist to the story. Thanks for the suggestion!


	3. PHASE 03: Change of Events

**PHASE THREE: Change of Events**

**C.E 74 Orb Union (Five Years Ago)**

It had been three days after the Battle of Messiah, and Cagalli had received news from the remaining Orb fleet that had joined the battle with the Archangel that ZAFT and the Earth Alliance had reached another stalemate, just like they had in Jachin Due two years ago. The fleet were scheduled to return back to Orb today (and should be arriving any time soon now) after finally repairing the damages they had sustained during the battle. She heard that the mother ships weren't that heavily damaged, but the blow they received during the fight was enough to hold them up in space temporarily due to problems with the engine that made it impossible for them to enter Earth's atmosphere.

Sitting by the desk of her study, Cagalli buried her head in her arms, resting against the surface of her desk. She hadn't been able to sit still for days, wishing with all her might that she was up in space for the battle... but there was no way she could leave Orb. Besides, Cagalli was sure that she needed to stay here and allow Athrun to go alone and search for himself there. She did not want her presence to be a disturbance to him. After all... Athrun was a Coordinator. He had been raised in PLANTs and in space all his life. It would be no wonder if he didn't want to stay on Earth, or if he did not want to be with a Natural. Cagalli had seen the way Meyrin had looked at him... a small feeling tugged at her chest and Cagalli stood up.

"Arrrgghhh! Get a hold of yourself, Cagalli!" she scolded herself, messing her hair with both her hands as if doing so would clear away the thoughts that had plagued her for days now. According to the Orb fleet, the Archangel would remain in space for a while longer before they return to Orb – that is, if they were to return here at all. Everything was in such a mess, and though there were piles of paperwork on Cagalli's table, she paid them no attention. There was no way she could rule a country in her current condition. She glared at the paperwork with fiery golden eyes, as if willing for the pile to burst into flames right there and then.

Sighing, the golden-haired princess turned her eyes to the top drawer of her desk. She eyed it for a few minutes before finally pulling it open, taking out a silver ring, shaped almost like an outstretched bird's wing with a singular stone. The stone had often made Cagalli wonder – it was a dark shade of crimson, yet the colour had a tinge of violet as well. She didn't even know what the stone was supposed to mean. Cagalli missed the feeling of having it against her skin. Her ring finger felt awkwardly exposed ever since she took it off.

A sudden knock on the door made her look up in surprise. "Come in," Cagalli said, storing the ring back in the desk drawer. She shut the drawer firmly and turned towards the visitor, her eyes widening disbelievingly at the figure as he closed the door behind him. "A-Athrun..? You... What are you doing here?" she asked, almost cursing herself as soon as the words left her mouth. What was she asking?

Athrun blinked, facing her. He walked forwards, stopping almost just an arm's length from where she stood, shock clear on her face. "Well... I arrived with the Orb fleet," Athrun said, almost as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He made it sound like returning from a battle where he could have died was completely normal in everyday life. "They transported me here with Justice when I told them I wanted to return, but Kira and the Archangel are still in space. We just arrived –"

"I know _that_!" Cagalli snapped, annoyed. It annoyed her even more when Athrun pressed his lips, fighting the urge to laugh. "I mean... Uh... I mean, what are you..." she trailed off, unable to ask him directly.

"'Why have you returned here..?' isn't it..?" Athrun asked knowingly, his gaze softening when Cagalli looked up in surprise. He had deliberately given her the wrong answer before, knowing full well what she had meant the first time she asked.

"Athrun..." Cagalli said softly, feeling almost guilty that she had asked him such a thing. He was back, right? What did it matter..? The reason for his return _shouldn't_ matter... right?

Much to her surprise, Athrun grinned. "Let's see... Why _did _I return? The world is at peace again, and a proposal has been issued to make another peace treaty. Orb will need to grow strong again to protect its ideals. The military are certain that Representative Attha will do a _fine_ job and not neglect her responsibilities," Athrun said mildly, gesturing towards the pile of abandoned paperwork that made Cagalli grimace. Then, the Coordinator crossed his arms, his face thoughtful. "But really, I'm scared of what might happen if Orb continues as how they has been – with the princess almost willingly marrying an idiot 'for the sake of Orb's safety', placed in a state of peril where she was needed to be rescued by the Freedom, being forced to enter a treaty with the Alliance," Athrun said carelessly, flicking his fingers one by one as he counted his statements.

Cagalli could hardly believe what she was seeing. _This_ Athrun had been lost to her for a long time – the Athrun she had first come to know when they had first met. "Athrun... you..."

He sighed dramatically. "That Seiran idiot did a lot of damage to Orb's military. Not just to the military, but to the government as well... and to make sure you don't fall into pressure like you did with Roma Seiran or to join the Earth Alliance again, the Representative will need someone who can support the system and protect Orb's ideals so it grows strong again. Someone who would willingly stay by her side and help solve Orb's problems –"

"You're staying?" Cagalli cried out, cutting the Coordinator's words off. She had no real idea what Athrun had been blabbing about – though she did know that he was listing down all her weaknesses right there and then, just _asking_ for a fight – but if she understood correctly...

Athrun stopped his speech, his eyes turning soft again as he regarded the golden-haired girl in front of her. "Ah," Athrun answered, smiling slightly. "I want to help you rebuild Orb again, Cagalli... as Athrun Zala, son of Patrick Zala – ex-soldier of ZAFT and the pilot of the Justice."

A wave of emotions nearly consumed the Orb Representative – it was a mixture of pure joy, frustration, annoyance, happiness, relief, disbelief... Cagalli bowed her head, her body shaking as she tried to get a hold of the feelings that were overwhelming her. "Er... Cagalli..?" Athrun approached her anxiously. Cagalli had always been the type of person to fully show her emotions, no matter what they were, but this one he did not understand.

"KISAMAAA!" Cagalli shouted suddenly, landing a full-force punch on the Coordinator's cheek. Athrun stumbled backwards, his eyes wide open in bewilderment as his hand automatically moved to his throbbing cheek.

"Cagalli! What –"

Athrun's words were cut off as something hit his body at full impact, sending him on the floor. He opened his eyes, his eyebrows raised as he took in Cagalli's figure who was already crying, hitting his chest repeatedly. "Bakayaro!" She raised her head, her eyes shining with tears but she was already laughing and crying at the same time. Athrun relaxed. He knew that he deserved that punch – he wasn't even surprised she had actually hit him. After all, he deserved _so_ much more than just that after what he had done to her, even if he _did_ do those things by thinking about her best interests.

"I didn't know what to do. I couldn't afford to let Orb burn itself again and let more people suffer just because I needed to protect Orb's ideals. I thought that everything was for the best, and I couldn't do what I wanted and I was alone. Even when Kira kidnapped me from the wedding, I still wanted to stay and change Orb – I never wanted to make the decisions that Orb was forced to make!" Cagalli cried out, crying freely now as she vented at him, still continuously putting blows on his chest. "People come to Orb and join their military because they believe in Orb's ideals, but if I can't protect that, then... then..." she bowed her head, the sobs making her unable to continue.

Athrun pulled her close, hugging her tight. "I'm sorry, Cagalli. There was no room for me to help you when I remained in Orb. I thought that I could stop the fighting – I thought I could protect you by remaining in ZAFT because I had the power there. But I was wrong... I've been such an idiot," Athrun said, laughing slightly. "I won't return to being Alex Dino again. It was wrong for me to be under that name in the first place – it was why I couldn't help you by staying in Orb. I was powerless," he said quietly, the tears escaping from his eyes. "I'm sorry, Cagalli."

It didn't matter to her. Athrun wasn't the only one who made mistakes during the war, and she did not care about what had happened as long as he was willing to stay by her side again. She heard him force out a shaken "Thank you" amidst his sobs and couldn't help but cry as she realised that she had finally gotten him back.

Later that afternoon, after they had finished crying about all that had happened, Athrun pulled Cagalli to her feet and moved to the desk, pulling the top drawer open and sliding the ring on her finger again, asking her to never take it off again. When Cagalli asked how he knew where the ring was, Athrun replied saying that he saw her shutting the drawer when he entered and he just knew that it was the ring that she had been looking at. Cagalli looked at the ring, now nestled comfortably against her ring finger again, and curiously asked Athrun why the stone was crimson. Athrun's cheeks reddened at that, mumbling something about the fact that it had been the colour of her shirt when they first met and that he had always associated the colour with her. It was the most unromantic excuse for his choice, but Cagalli was truly happy all the same. To hide her embarrassment, Cagalli accidentally burst out saying that next time he wanted to buy jewellery, she wanted the stone to be green, and when Athrun densely asked why, she refused to answer, changing the subject by saying that she wanted Athrun to be her admiral. The proposition had been so shocking and unexpected that Athrun was immediately swayed by the change of topic. It was only later that night after he finished washing his face and looked at himself in the mirror into his own eyes that Athrun realised what Cagalli had meant, and he laughed.

Orb faced major changes after that. Most (if not all) of the Orb soldiers and officers were delighted to have Athrun Zala as their new Admiral. The Coordinator's history in ZAFT as well as his role with the Archangel and protection of Orb was respected fully – Athrun had been a popular choice after all and they were sure that by having him as an Admiral, perhaps this time they could protect Orb's ideals better for both Naturals and Coordinators alike. Together, Athrun and Cagalli promoted peace between both Coordinators and Naturals, launching a project to repair and rebuild the destroyed Heliopolis in Lagrange 3 to make room for more people who wanted to live together in a neutral union.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 74 PLANTs (Five Years Ago)<strong>

A few days after Shinn and Lunamaria rejoined ZAFT, they received a private invitation to Lacus Clyne's house. Amazement and surprise overwhelmed them both - for Shinn, it was due to the fact that he was being summoned by the Chairwoman herself, but to Luna, it was due to Lacus being the famous songstress. Shinn even wondered if the invitation was a fluke, but in the end, they decided to attend the invitation just to overcome the burning curiosity on what she could possibly want that could not be achieved in either the military headquarters or the Supreme Council building which she often went to.

When they arrived, they were surprised when it was Kira who answered the door. He was dressed in a white shirt and plain black trousers and brightened when he saw who it was - Kira immediately ushered them inside, telling them that there were only a few others who hadn't arrived. Upon hearing that, Shinn and Luna exchanged glances, wondering what was going on. Kira easily led them to the back of the house which, to Luna's absolute delight, was a vast space filled with all kinds of flowers with a pathway to the beach. They were both instantly bombarded with numerous coloured Haro's which surprised them - Luna thought that Lacus only had the Pink Haro and never knew she kept that many in her home. The Haros were scolded by Lacus who turned and apologised to them. She wore a light pink dress and Luna couldn't believe that the songstress in front of her was really the provisional Chairwoman of ZAFT.

As Lacus led them away from the house, Luna commented about what she knew had happened during the first war, where Lacus's house had been ransacked and damaged when she had been accused as being a traitor. She merely smiled upon hearing Luna's comment, shaking her head and saying that the situation had changed since then and she never intended to find a different place in PLANTs. Lacus led them to the side of the house where tables and chairs had been set out. Luna wondered why she hadn't noticed the place when they had approached the house earlier and realised that there was a high wall covering them - if one was to stand in front of the house, the wall acted as a disguise as if the house was bigger than it really was.

There, sitting at the tables, were numerous people whom Luna recognised to be respected officers and elite pilots. She immediately moved closer to Shinn, feeling awkwardly inferior. Even Shinn was surprised to see that they were sharing company with such people.

"Please, sit," Lacus said, offering them an empty table. They sat down and Shinn looked around curiously.

"What... is this?"

Lacus shook her head. "You will find out soon."

The last to arrive had been two elite ZAFT pilots and a white-uniformed Commander who appeared breathless. They apologised for being late and Lacus shook her head, dismissing the apology. She turned to Kira who nodded encouragingly at her and stepped in front of the crowd which, at the end, consisted of twelve people.

"I'm sorry to disturb you at a time like this," Lacus started, her voice immediately serious. "We know that the new treaty has been put into effect again, and for now, the world is peaceful. But after what happened last time, I cannot help but think that we have not gained true peace yet. Both wars ended with a stalemate, with no real winner, and the situation we face now is the same as the one after the battle in Jachin Due. For now, I have taken the role of Chairwoman until I can be sure that PLANTs is truly at peace, but wars are hurtful, and a lot of people are still burning with hatred for their losses. As long as peace is still here, we can't do anything but to try our best... but even in ZAFT and PLANTs, not all our opinions agree with each other. I need your help," Lacus said, surprising those who were there.

What she proposed was to have a group of four independent Special Forces units, each unit consisting of one Commander and two pilots - each Commander had also been elite ZAFT pilots, with the exception of Kira Yamato whom Shinn already knew was the pilot of the Strike Freedom. Two units would work together for normal military work which would make it seem like they were from the same squadron. Shinn Asuka and Lunamaria Hawke were placed in the First Special Forces unit under Commander Kira Yamato - the announcement had been so shocking that Shinn choked on his drink and stared wide-eyed at the brown-haired Coordinator who merely smiled approvingly at him. The Second Special Forces unit was made of Dearka Elsman and Shiho Hahnenfuss under Commander Yzak Joule. Shinn, Lunamaria and Kira were to be independent pilots for the Joule Squadron so that even if there weren't any missions for them, they would still be under Yzak to perform normal military work to hide their true positions in ZAFT.

The Third Special Forces unit was made of Tierre Nehas and Printe Chani, both elite ZAFT pilots and they were under the command of Commander Kyena Falen. The Fourth Special Forces unit was made of Laniel Ghens and Sierra Chaes under Commander Yerisa Chile. Both the Third and Fourth Special Forces Unit were under Commander Falen.

"Let's work together," Kira had said to both Shinn and Luna afterwards, holding out his hand for them both.

Shinn couldn't help but feel... what was the word... intimidated? - no, it wasn't that. But something about the Freedom pilot definitely earned his respect, perhaps due to his piloting skills. "Ah... umn..." Shinn managed, shaking Kira's hand. "I suppose. But this is really surprising, having the Chairwoman said something like that," he frowned. Had peace really not arrived yet?

Kira smiled. "I guess it can't be helped when people still hold grudges from the past."

"I guess we'll be working together again on the same ship, Kira," Dearka's voice sounded from behind the brown-haired Coordinator.

Kira turned in surprise, his face almost apologetic when he saw who it was. "I guess so. It really can't be helped."

"Don't worry about it. Yzak isn't that bad as a Commander," he said teasingly as Yzak joined them, Shiho by his side.

"Um... You are... Captain Elsman... right?" Luna ventured. _One of the pilots from the Le Creuset team with Athrun..._

Dearka raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me. Captain Dearka Elsman of the Joule Squadron," he introduced himself with a salute.

"Lunamaria Hawke. Yamato Squadron... wouldn't that be right?" she asked, turning to Kira.

"I-I guess so."

"Shinn Asuka. Yamato Squadron." Shinn saluted Dearka.

Shinn and Luna turned to Kira who suddenly blinked. "A-ah. Commander Kira Yamato. Yamato Squadron."

Yzak 'tsch-ed' and Shinn blinked at the legendary Freedom pilot. _Is this guy for real..?_ "Commander Yzak Joule from the Joule Team," Yzak introduced himself. "I'll be the commanding officer for _you_," he said at Kira, who could only laugh shakily. Kira never minded that in the least. "And this is my ace pilot," Yzak said, gesturing to Shiho who stepped forwards with a smart salute, introducing herself as she did so.

"Hey, hey. Kira is a white uniform officer as well," Dearka interjected.

"No, it's okay," Kira shook his head. "We're all aware that I'm not a real soldier. There're a lot of things I need to get used to, and a lot I need to learn. I hope you'll lend me your help."

"No problem with that!" Luna said, happy that Kira was with them even if he wasn't exactly a true soldier at heart.

Yzak sighed. "Soldier or not, you're wearing ZAFT's white uniform now. Excuse me," Yzak said, saluting, before moving away with both Dearka and Shiho behind him. Kira had looked at the young Commander moving away and he nodded. "Ah..." he said quietly, his voice barely audible, "I got that."

A year and a half later, Kira moved out from the Joule Team and led a full squadron of his own which consisted of eighty members in total, including the pilots. Upon request, Shinn and Lunamaria both agreed to remain with the squadron and when they first entered their ship (a second generation Nazca-class high speed mobile destroyer named _Aurora_), they were surprised to find quite a number of their old comrades from the previous Minerva. Among them were Meyrin Hawke, Vino Dupre and Yolan Kent, much to Shinn and Lunamaria's delight. When they asked Kira about it, Kira merely smiled and said that maybe _someone_ had pulled the strings before walking away. They were also introduced to their new Vice Captain, Laniel Ghens, who had been in the Fourth Special Forces unit. He, and his comrade Sierra Chaes, were assigned to the Yamato Squadron after Commander Yerisa Chile was killed in a mobile suit attack led by terrorists.

One day, after being assigned his own squadron, Kira bumped into Yzak who congratulated him, pausing ever so slightly before finally offering his hand. The silver-haired Commander had been rather cold to the new ZAFT Commander at first, but after receiving the _Aurora_, Kira seemed to finally have gotten his approval.

Kira Yamato and Yzak Joule were later assigned ZAFT's new unit, ZGMF-K1001 Enigma which was a transformable mobile weapon, able to transform into a fighter-plane mobile armour that is more commonly used for speed than battle. Shinn and Laniel were assigned the ZGMF-X2000 GOUF Ignited while Lunamaria and Sierra were given the ZGMF-1001/M Blaze ZAKU Phantom.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 75 United States of South America (Four Years Ago)<strong>

A year after the war, two mobile suits landed in a remote area among the forests of the United States of South America which had gained independence from the Earth Alliance and was now considered a neutral state. The two mobile suits were the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice. Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala both climbed out from their mobile suits and walked towards the cliff overlooking the deep sea. They watched in silence as the waves pounded against the rocks, the wind strong as it whipped through their hair and Kira commented on how he never wanted to fight again.

"I hope that our conflicts can be solved in a different way from now on," Kira said quietly, turning to look at the Gundam - the one machine that had shared so much with him since the event in Heliopolis. "I wish we will never use these again."

"Ah," Athrun agreed, his eyes darkening at the old memories of the war. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on their parts, but with both of them now having strong ties with Orb and PLANTs, they were both hopeful that the day never came when they needed the Gundams' power again.

Secretly, a large hangar was then built under the cliff where they had landed to house both the Strike Freedom and the Infinite Justice. Orb still protected the Archangel and the Akatsuki like it did after the First Bloody Valentine war and somewhere in space, the Eternal lay dormant, never joining ZAFT even though Lacus Clyne had stepped in as the provisional Chairwoman. The Three Ships Alliance were still an independent force. Cagalli and Lacus had both asked why they didn't want to keep the Justice and Freedom with the Archangel and Eternal, but to Kira and Athrun, doing so would mean that they had a chance of picking up their swords again without the hesitation to fight. To both of them, the Freedom and Justice were to be used as a last resort at the time they would need them the most and that was hard to achieve if the two mobile suits were somewhere that was too easy for them to reach.

In truth, Kira and Athrun had both wanted to stop fighting as they had before... and they tried to bury that desire along with their Gundams, praying that they would never need to use them again. It was ironic, considering that Athrun was the Admiral of Orb and Kira was a Commander in ZAFT.

It took two years of hard work and the hangar was fully operational in C.E 78. With Kira's astounding skills and Athrun's intelligence, the hangar was designed in such a way that maintenance for both Gundams was not needed to be done by humans. Numerous plugs connecting to machines did most of the maintenance that was needed by both Gundams although every three months, Kira and Athrun would take turns in going back to the hangar to ensure that everything was settled. They simply did not wish for anyone to see the Gundams again.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 76 PLANTs (Three Years Ago)<strong>

The first time Yzak Joule had been introduced to Shiho Hahnenfuss was when they were children. At the time, his mother and Shiho's parents had been so warped in their plans to "unite the children" that Yzak had not bothered to learn either the parents' name or even the child's. All he knew was that they were having extremely idiotic guests that night and that he was to "behave himself" and "treat the girl like a gentleman", whatever those two commands would mean. Why did he need to behave himself in front of a stupid girl anyway? Most girls he knew acted stupid around him anyway, and he physically repelled their presences around him.

When the door bell rang and his mother brutally forced him to greet the guests at the door, Yzak's face had been sour as if he had swallowed enough lemons to last a lifetime. The door opened, revealing the Hah-what's-it's and the first thought that crossed Yzak's mind was that the parents must've been really stupid because he couldn't see the girl anyway. Shiho, who had hated her parents' idea and therefore rebelled by dressing in a smart uniform instead of a dress, rolled her eyes when she realised the idiot she was supposed to be "united with" didn't even bother to greet her at the door. They were ushered inside.

Then, it happened.

"Shiho," Ezalia Joule said kindly, placing her hand on Yzak's shoulder. "This is Yzak. Yzak, meet Shiho," she introduced them both.

"This idiot is a girl?"

"I didn't think I had been facing a boy."

To many parents, the meeting had been a disaster, but after that first night, both Ezalia Joule and the Hahnenfuss couple agreed that maybe things would turn out better than they believed after all.

They rarely got the chance to meet (mostly due to them both rebelling in some way or another) but when Ezalia Joule was accepted in the Supreme Council of ZAFT, she decided that Yzak's rebellious days were over. The first time Shiho introduced herself to him as an elite ZAFT pilot, Yzak didn't even know that she was the same girl he had met years ago. He never bothered to remember her name before, after all. Even as an elite ZAFT pilot, he did not pay her any attention at first due to her being a _girl_. Yet as time passed, Yzak became more comfortable with her, perhaps because she was not like most idiotic girls he met... that, and the fact that she _was_ a good mobile suit pilot which he admitted to himself grudgingly.

Yzak sought her company a lot as time went by, especially after finding himself alone due to Dearka being captured by the Archangel and Athrun turning his back on ZAFT. It had been comforting to have someone he could talk to without completely losing his mind, though he still constantly reminded himself that she was a _girl_, and, even worse, the person he was supposed to be "united with". Those thoughts always bothered him, but as time passed, even those thoughts stopped plaguing him.

He realised what her presence really meant to him when, one day, her CGUE unit was heavily damaged in a battle with the Earth Alliance. As he retrieved the unit's damaged cockpit with his GOUF, images of the deaths of Miguel and Nicol were repeated in his mind, along with flashbacks of the pieces of the Aegis, Dearka captured by the Archangel...

"Hahnenfuss!" Yzak called, trying to get an image of her in the CGUE's cockpit – and failing. "_Kuso_! Hahnenfuss!"

Yzak jumped out from the GOUF as soon as he placed the damaged cockpit down and raced towards Shiho, pushing away several ZAFT soldiers as he did so. She was unconscious and blood trickled down her forehead, but thankfully, she was alive. The wave of relief that swept through Yzak surprised him and though the doctor later on assured that she was fine, he stayed with her until she regained consciousness again.

"You look really pitiful with that face, Commander."

"Shut up."

When Lacus approached him one day and asked if he was interested in being a member of the Supreme Council, Yzak was surprised to find himself deliberating on the answer. There was an open position for the National Defence Committee Member representing Martius of PLANTs – a position that was once held by his own mother, and one that he had experience severing for temporarily after the First Bloody Valentine. The elections would be held soon, and as the son of the previous council member and a much-famous war hero, Yzak Joule would have been a very popular choice... not to mention the fact that joining the Council would earn him the purple ZAFT uniform. He would sit in the Supreme Council building, never again witnessing the death of his comrades before his eyes... but also unable to protect those who entered the battlefield.

"No," Yzak had said before he knew it, surprising Lacus and even himself.

Lacus eyed him curiously and then beamed at him with such a smile that Yzak couldn't help but feel very annoyed. She tilted her head slightly, a knowing smirk on her lips. "Ara ara... Is that so..? Why did you choose that, Yzak?"

Yzak turned his head away. "I don't sit and make decisions while my comrades fight to their deaths. It's stupid to just sit and give orders and make decisions while people die waiting," he said, annoyed.

"Yes... You're right," Lacus answered quietly and Yzak looked at her in surprise. "But sometimes, that is the only thing we can do," she said, shaking her head as she remembered her father. Yzak muttered a small apology for turning down the offer, but Lacus only smiled and told him not to worry – there were many other good people out there who would willingly defend ZAFT and the PLANTs with their lives. She smiled, patted his arm knowingly and turned to leave. Before exiting, Lacus paused and asked him that even if he was unwilling to be a Council member, she hoped that he would be a General that would always protect PLANTs and even those who opposes them. She disappeared before the shocked silver-haired Coordinator even had the time to respond.

The first person to see Yzak in his purple ZAFT uniform was Shiho, who had coincidentally been passing by when Yzak exited his room. She stopped and looked at him, smiling slightly. "Commander," she saluted, then relaxing. "That uniform suits you. Congratulations."

"Er... Thanks," Yzak said awkwardly.

"I heard someone turned down the opportunity to join the Supreme Council or head the military headquarters because he loves his squadron too much," Dearka's annoying voice suddenly rang down the hallway. They turned as he walked towards them and Shiho saluted in respect. "Yzak sure has gotten soft over the years."

"Shut up, Dearka."

"Well, at least Lacus still made you a General," the blonde-haired Coordinator sighed, eyeing Yzak's purple uniform longingly. "But I'm still second-in-command."

"I hear you still get to keep your squadron," Shiho said, agreeing with Dearka's statement. "It seems as though I am still needed," she stated, almost smugly.

Yzak pursed his lips, annoyed that she was teasing him. "I wasn't the one who asked you to remain."

"I wasn't the one who accepted to stay," she replied, her voice just as cold. "Excuse me," Shiho said, saluting them both before turning and walking away. As soon as she had her back to him, she smiled, trying very hard not to laugh. Yzak ran his hand through his hair angrily, frustrated with how the conversation turned out. But when he looked at her walking away, there was no mistaking the warmth in his eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 76 Orb Union (Three Years Ago)<strong>

Orb's citizens had rejoiced their newly-founded peace again, and among those citizens were Murrue Ramius and Andrew Waltfeld who returned to their shared house in Orb after the Battle of Messiah. The house had been maintained by Reverend Malchio after it was rebuilt (though it was nowhere near as grand as it was before). As soon as Mu La Flaga looked around the large area they had, he immediately proposed that they expand the place for the orphans to live comfortably with them. For a few months, Mu and Waltfeld worked together in expanding the place and from time to time, they were helped by Athrun and Cagalli. Even Kira and Lacus went to Orb regularly to help and the number of children who stayed there increased. For two years, there was always something that they were working on together to make the place better.

Shinn Asuka, who from time to time still returned to Orb, always watched from afar – especially when Cagalli was around. He remembered the first words he had said to her that day on the Minerva, how he had despised her and blamed her for everything that had happened. One day, when he watched her pick up a saw to help them build a tree-house, he walked towards her and took the tool from her hands to help saw the board, giving a biting remark about technology and having workers available. Though she was surprised, Cagalli only shrugged and smiled and said he had a point, but they both knew that it was working together like this that made the place special. A few feet away, Athrun watched the black-haired Coordinator from where he had been working with Kira and smiled.

Despite Cagalli's protests, Murrue decided to keep her alias of Maria Vernes as she continued her small passion of working with Morganroete, heading the second Shipbuilding Section as she had done before the war. One day, two years after the war, when Athrun and Cagalli sent her home (wanting to visit the orphanage themselves), she stopped in front of the large orphanage, finally finished, and smiled. Mu had his back against the wall of the orphanage, chatting to Kira and Lacus before he spotted her and gestured her to come with him. She shrugged and followed him down the pathway towards the beach, unaware of the fact that Kira, Lacus, Athrun, Cagalli and Waltfeld were sharing knowing looks with each other.

Watching the sunset with Mu, Murrue felt completely at peace. Mu commented on how he never knew a day like this would come, as he had often felt as if his life would be fully on the battlefield. He never thought he would survive, and the orphanage was one of the small ways for him to repent – it was a way for all of them to repent for their sins. When Murrue turned to console the mobile armour pilot, she was surprised when he suddenly took her hand, his blue eyes serious as he went down on one knee asked her hand in marriage, to live with him for as long as they still remained alive – he smiled crookedly at her as he usually did when the tears began to fall from her eyes, immediately saying 'yes'. He told her that he would have just asked, but Lacus _insisted_ that he get down on one knee. Murrue laughed through her tears and when he slid the delicate golden band on her ring finger, she admitted that she actually had always loved mobile armour pilots.

Unsurprisingly, Kira, Lacus, Athrun, Cagalli and Waltfeld were waiting for them when they returned, the skies already turning a very dark shade of orange. Cagalli and Waltfeld had been putting bets on how badly Mu might have screwed up the proposal, but then they saw the ring on Murrue's finger and Mu winked at them. That night, they celebrated.

Lacus had been extremely busy with the preparations, surprising Cagalli and Kira both when she fussed and complained about how the wedding should be made grander. Athrun nudged Kira as they stared, wishing the Coordinator good luck for whenever it was 'their turn' and Kira sighed, already dreading it. All the Archangel crew as well as those who fought with the Eternal were invited. Waltfeld was made the best man, with Cagalli and Lacus as the bridesmaids. The day before the wedding, Murrue had looked at Mu, alive and well, and wished that Natarle Badgiruel had been there with her.

Precisely three weeks after Mu proposed, a modest wedding was held at the orphanage, the children receiving new suits and dresses which cheered the event immensely. Shinn, Lunamaria and Meyrin made an appearance which pleased Cagalli to no end, and most of the crew from the Three Ships Alliance also came. Kira had stared at Lacus when she appeared in her white bridesmaid dress and murmured about it not being fair to Mu that there was someone prettier than the bride. Athrun, however, pretended not to recognise Cagalli and he asked her if she knew where she was, which earned him a small blow to the arm – Cagalli, dressed beautifully in her dress had snapped angrily at the Coordinator and before she knew it, everyone was laughing at her, making her cheeks redden. Athrun lowered his voice and told her that she was truly beautiful – this time, she knew he wasn't teasing.

Amazingly, just before the ceremony, a shuttle arrived in Orb and Yzak Joule, dressed smartly in a black tuxedo, arrived in a black car. Astounded, Athrun ran to greet them, but as soon as he made a comment on Yzak's attire, the silver-haired General turned his head away and stalked off angrily back towards the car. They later found out that it was Dearka who had forced the General to come, but the fact that Yzak _did_ appear showed them that they had made a bond with the short-tempered Coordinator after all. When they spotted Yzak again a few minutes later, a young woman in a simple white dress was with him, later introduced as Shiho Hahnenfuss. Athrun arched an eyebrow at her and Dearka mischievously whispered something about Yzak getting soft before moving away.

When the ceremony started and Murrue walked down the path, made by scattered red rose petals on the white beach sand, everyone turned to look at her and she blushed slightly in embarrassment. She walked with Archangel's ship pilot Arnold Neumann, her eyes shining as she tried to hide her laughter when she looked at Mu's nervous face. When the vows were said and the wedding ring rested safely against her ring finger, everyone stood to applause the new couple who wrote another chapter in their lives.

Miriallia, who had been the photographer for the whole ceremony, spotted Dearka standing alone with his eyes on the beach not long after everything was settled. She walked towards him and he turned when she approached to stand beside him. Dearka commented on how everything smelled fresh and original here, on Earth, which was unlike what he faced in PLANTs even though that place was always there for him to return to. He asked about her, and she truthfully said that she had not found her true home yet. As a freelance photographer, Miriallia had been moving from place to place; never staying for more than a few months, but it was a life that she enjoyed. Dearka laughed, saying that her life seemed to be split into chapters. He then turned and looked at her sincerely, saying that even the worst of things were only chapters and that there was the rest of the book to finish writing. Miriallia understood.

They watched the sunset together, and at some point while the sun moved down, Miriallia held Dearka's hand, surprising him, but she did not look at him. Not wanting to break the moment, Dearka merely tightened his hold and when nightfall approached and it was time for the ZAFT Captain to return to PLANTs, he kissed her cheek briefly and she told him that she would visit PLANTs soon to capture more pictures. He promised her he would wait.

That night, everyone celebrated (with the exception of Yzak, Shiho, Dearka, Shinn, Lunamaria and Meyrin who returned early). They played games and laughed happily, telling jokes and teasing each other. When the children were finally tired enough to sleep, Lacus, Cagalli and Miriallia brought them upstairs to tuck them in. Kira and Athrun went outside and walked to the end of the porch overlooking the sea. They watched the stars and the moon and the skies and the seas, both silent until Torii's call broke both their thoughts. It landed on Kira's shoulder and Athrun smiled.

"I remember when we used to take this for granted," Kira started, reminiscing their old days on the moon. "Things have really changed since then... the world..."

"Ah," Athrun agreed, shaking his head slightly. "We don't know how long the peace will last..."

Kira breathed in deeply. "I think it has always existed and lasted, if we looked hard enough."

"Kira..?"

"You and Cagalli... Me and Lacus... Our friends and comrades... Even when we fought, there were always moments of peace that we feel when we are with them. I think that's the most important thing of all. Without that, we cannot fight. If we forget the peace we have, even in war, we will be unable to fight for what we want. I think it's important to always have this feeling... To keep on fighting..."

"Nicol... Rusty... Miguel... Heine..." Athrun said the names softly – all whose deaths, ironically, had been associated with the Kira in some way. "Do you think they will forgive us for living so happily?"

"Always," Kira answered – he had no doubt. "Tolle..." _Fllay..._ "All of us... we all fought for the peace of the world. We all fought so our friends and family could live happily. I think it's unforgiveable if we fail to live happily after they had sacrificed themselves to give us the chance... It's sad..." Kira trailed off, watching the skies again. Torii hopped off from his shoulder suddenly, flying towards the skies. Kira wasn't worried though – the mechanical bird would always return to him. The brown-haired Coordinator looked at his old friend and they exchanged smiles as they watched Torii flying away. Always.

* * *

><p><strong>MOBILE SUIT INFORMATION<strong>

**Model number:** ZGMF-K1001  
><strong>Code name:<strong> Enigma  
><strong>Unit type:<strong> Mass Production Transformable Mobile Suit  
><strong>Manufacturer:<strong> Integrated Design Bureau (ZAFT)  
><strong>Operator: <strong>ZAFT  
><strong>Launched:<strong> C.E 77  
><strong>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, standard cockpit in torso  
><strong>Dimensions:<strong> Overall Height 18.84 meters  
><strong>Weight:<strong> 76.38 metric tons  
><strong>Powerplant:<strong> Ultracompact energy battery with power extender  
><strong>Armaments:<strong>  
>2 x MMI-GBA210-A 75mm CIWS, mounted in head<br>4 x MMI-GBA210-A 75mm CIWS, mounted on wings (mobile armour form only)  
>2 x MMI-M826 "Hydra" Gatling Beam Cannon<br>MMI-700 "Gigas" Beam Sword, stored on hips  
>2 x MS-100 "Armour Schnieder", stored on hips<br>Shield, mounted on left arm in mobile suit use  
><strong>Optional Equipment:<strong> Enigma Wizard Packs

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This chapter was extremely fun to write, seriously. I'm not aware at what time I started writing, but by the time I looked at the clock, it's past 3AM. XD I shall be moving houses on Sunday, but I hope this chapter is long enough to compensate for my absence – hopefully, it won't be very long before I get internet access again. I'll be writing as we wait. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to finish the next chapter before Sunday. :D In the next chapter, we'll get back to present day after they watched the Freedom go down.

I noticed the mistake about Yzak after I published the previous chapter. I've edited it slightly, making him Lacus's personal advisor instead of a ZAFT Commander (which he already was). Sorry for the mistake! Information on Kira's Nazca-class _Aurora_ might be given in later chapters - I'm still unsure how big a role that ship will be currently. The reason I put him in the Joule Team first is due to Kira's lack of leadership skills - unlike Athrun, he was never really a soldier or a leader, so putting him as a Commander straight off would have been weird. I wish I can write more about the five years between GSD and present day, but we need to get back to Kira. T.T Maybe I'll have flashbacks in this fic.

I thank Freedom Tsuki, AsuCaga4ever, PrincessOfDestiny14, Magus-15IchiGo, WaaWaa and hakuMeyen for your reviews, and also to those who favourite-d and alert-ed this story. Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed this one – let me know what you think!

**AsuCaga4ever: **Nah, I think I'll leave them as it is. I don't mind Shinn/Luna that much – it's just that I love Stellar more. There will be a good balance for the romance though, with heavy focus on Kira/Lacus and Athrun/Cagalli, I'd expect. But anyway, thanks for the input! :D

**WaaWaa:** Unfortunately, the present day in this fic is only five years after GSD – if they have children, they'd only be five years old which won't help much. But that's a seriously interesting idea for an ending. I'm tempted to try it out. XD


	4. PHASE 04: Raging Chaos

**PHASE FOUR: Raging Chaos**

**C.E 79 Location Unknown (Present Day)**

"WHAT _HAPPENED?_" A furious voice shouted. At the same time, his hand lashed out, cups and plates smashing against the nearby wall before shattering into a million pieces, showering the marble floor. "Why was the _Freedom_ there?"

"I don't know," another voice, a calmer one, answered. "But it doesn't change the fact that it did appear, and we had to change our plans and deal with it a lot sooner than we thought."

The previous voice roared in anger, fighting the urge to throw something again. What made it worse was that this person in front of him did not seem at all unnerved. But maybe that was why he had been chosen to lead this project. He was a true leader who never followed his emotions and thought practically with whatever situations he faced. The same thing couldn't be said for the angry speaker, however - the pieces of glass on the marble floor was proof of that.

"We lost too many mobile suits battling the Freedom. Why isn't Advocate and Zantetsuken finished yet?"

"Because we weren't scheduled to battle against the Freedom yet," the other person answered simply. "Besides, they weren't scheduled to join the battle."

"They were the ones who should have destroyed Freedom!"

"But they didn't. Because things did not go as planned."

"That country is dangerous. You were supposed to give it a good scare with our forces."

This time, the other man laughed. His eyes twinkled with amusement and he inclined his head slightly. "With all due respect, I think that _we_ are the ones who have the upper hand due to Freedom's interference. That country got their scare all right. Don't worry about that," he said smugly. "Besides, the Freedom is gone. This war will be won easier than planned."

"...I hope you are right."

"I always am. Excuse me," the other man said, giving a small bow before leaving the room.

The angered man sighed and turned his eyes to the window. There was no turning back now. A few arm's length from where he stood, a small framed photograph stood on the side table. The photograph was that of a young fifteen-year-old boy with green hair and brown eyes, sitting by the side of a piano. Yuri Amalfi sighed and turned his eyes on the photograph. "Nicol... I will ensure peace for us in your place..."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day)<br>**

He refused to believe it. He absolutely _refused_ to believe it. How... _Why?_ Why did Kira fight against those mobile suits? Why hadn't Kira come to ask for his help? Why had he gone alone? How did Kira, that gentle person who never wanted to fight again, found himself in Freedom's cockpit once more, finally battling to his death? Why did he die at a time when they really needed him? _Was_ that even Kira? What if the footage was a fake? What if the _Freedom_ was a fake? Or, better still, what if the pilot _wasn't_ Kira? What if Kira was captured somewhere and that it wasn't him who was piloting it? What if Kira was in danger? What if Kira... survived? Even if the blade of the mobile suit _had_ cut the Freedom's cockpit cleanly in half, there must be a chance that Kira had survived... right? _Right_?

He barely registered the cries of those in the room. He barely registered Cagalli cursing over and over, crying desperately in Lacus's arms - the latter was also crying, silently, holding the dead Coordinator's twin like a lifeline to prevent herself from collapsing. Athrun clenched his fists as the footage was suddenly cut off, breathing harshly as he tried to deal with all the questions that were running through his mind. _Impossible... Impossible..._ That was the one word that repeated itself in his mind, over and over again. Impossible... Kira couldn't have died... He just _couldn't_. Not like that, not in a battle like that. Athrun refused to believe that the brown-haired Coordinator had left them.

"I'm going! I'm going to search for him!" Athrun cried out, his green eyes just blazing with fury.

"No!" Cagalli shouted amidst her tears. "No... You can't go."

"Why? Didn't you just see Kira on the screen? Are you just going to _leave_ it like that?" Athrun raised his voice, the tears also flowing down his cheeks.

He was nearly thrown off his feet when the collar of his uniform was grabbed roughly and a strong figure slammed his back against the wall. "Y-Yzak! What are you _doing_, Yzak?" Athrun shouted at the silver-haired General, trying desperately to release himself, but his comrade had locked onto him. His silver eyes blazed with such intensity that Athrun couldn't help but glare back. "Let me go, Yzak!"

"_Kisama!_ What do you think you're doing? You're Orb's _Admiral_, Athrun Zala! Are you stupid enough to go there and let them ambush and kill you like they did with Freedom? Kira Yamato is KIA!"

Athrun's eyes widened. "_YZAK!_"

"You don't know where they were fighting. You can't help him now. Do you really think he would want you to look for him now and abandon your responsibilities to Orb? That guy went to that battle from PLANTs. He knew something that made him fight. Would looking for him be the priority he wanted you to take, or would defending your nation and finding out what's going on be your priority? Stop acting based on your emotions alone! _Kuso_!" Yzak roughly shoved Athrun to the side, his eyes glowering as Athrun landed on his side, both glaring at each other.

The worst part was that Athrun knew he was right.

Chances are, the mobile suits were still where the Freedom is. They did not know who was responsible for it, and the fact that they received the live footage moments ago might just be to lure Athrun to go and look for Freedom as well. All that they had just seen might as well be a trap, and Athrun would definitely be foolish if he was to fall for such a trap. But Kira... There was no mistaking the Strike Freedom that they had just seen. Athrun _knew_ it was the Freedom. Kira's Freedom. But the risk was too high... and he knew that. For a few minutes, they continued to glare at each other and Athrun saw that the silver-haired General was not even intimidated. Yzak's eyes were unblinking as he hardened his gaze, and after a few moments, Athrun lowered his eyes. "Sorry," he said quietly.

"He's right... Yzak..." Lacus said, her voice barely audible through her tears. "We need to continue Kira's fight... because we are alive..." She raised her eyes to the silver-haired General and Yzak's face changed from anger to abrupt surprise when he saw her expression. "Let's go back to PLANT, Yzak. We need to find out what happened," Lacus said. Athrun and Yzak looked at her in astonishment. Athrun noticed that there was something off with Lacus's expression - it was a look of pure determination, but there was something else there as well. Something that did not rest well with Athrun at all. Yzak stared at the provisional Chairwoman of ZAFT long and hard before nodding once.

"No way..." Cagalli trailed off, her golden eyes fixed on the songstress. "You're going back to PLANTs? But..."

"Don't worry, Cagalli. I'll be alright. We need to figure out what's going on, right?"

Athrun turned his face away, unable to speak any longer. He couldn't look at Lacus's face, whom he knew was feeling as much despair as they all were. In a way, perhaps even more. However, as usual, she was trying too hard to be strong. He knew they couldn't stop her decisions now. Doing so might just break her. He knew that much. Cagalli, too, had lost the will to argue with the pink-haired Chairwoman. She only lowered her head, her eyes glazed. "Yes... We're counting on you, Lacus. Please take care."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs (Present Day)<strong>

The shuttle was ambushed by officers and commanders alike as soon as it arrived, most of them wanting to know the status of the PLANTs in order to submit reports. With his temper reaching his limit, Yzak snapped at all of them and said that for the time being, all reports would need to be submitted to the National Defence Committee as usual with the excuse that PLANTs had not changed their status regarding anything yet. His icy blue eyes were furious, warning everyone in his path that the Chairwoman was not to be disturbed. Acting on the authority of being her personal advisor, Yzak grabbed Lacus's hand and led her away quickly, noticing a large number of ZAFT soldiers holding back anxious reporters. Yzak couldn't help but feel absolutely relieved when they arrived at the elevator and made their way to the military headquarters of ZAFT.

Luck was on his side – as soon as they arrived, they were received by Dearka Elsman and Shiho Hahnenfuss. Dearka handed Yzak's mobile device which he accepted thankfully and they proceeded to move quickly to Yzak's room though Dearka was surprised that Lacus was there. With his free hand, Yzak tapped into the device and barked a command over his shoulder.

"Hahnenfuss! I want you to locate the Yamato Squadron. Don't expect to find the Commander. Get me his second-in-command and senior pilots in my office. Quickly!"

"Yes sir!" Shiho saluted, immediately turning to leave.

"Yzak... What's going on?" Dearka asked, surprised.

"Later!" Yzak snapped. They went into his office and he led Lacus to a nearby chair before taking a seat by his desk. "What's the status?" he demanded.

"Officially, fifteen squadrons are missing but we have the feeling that there's a lot more than that. Total loss is estimated at 200,000 Coordinators, but there has been a lot of trouble trying to get more information – a lot of records are missing. A lot of mobile suits are missing from the factories in Maius One and Two, unless if they were destroyed by the nukes, including one prototype Second Generation Minerva-class ship that hasn't been named yet. They launched four nuclear missiles at approximately 0900 GMT-timezone. The mother ship could not be located but we took down the mobile suits responsible for the attack – around twenty of them. We were joined by the Yamato Squadron for the battle."

"_Kuso!_" Out of anger, Yzak slammed his fist against his desk, surprising Lacus. His eyes were absolutely burning with anger. "There is chaos in Victoria as well. We left PLANTs to try and handle the situation as soon as we heard about the Botswana base, but before we reached Victoria, Maius One and Two were already attacked," he said furiously. "It was in Victoria that we could get in contact with Washington DC, but apparently, they did not issue the attack. Neither did the officials in Victoria, apparently," he said angrily. "It's a double coup d'état, I know it is," he said scathingly, "but we don't have proof."

"Excuse me!" Shiho's voice sounded from outside the door. Yzak permitted her entry and she came inside, leading four ZAFT solders with her – one of them wore a black ZAFT uniform while the other three wore the red ZAFT uniform.

"Laniel Ghens, Yamato Squadron Vice Captain. Reporting for duty!"

Yzak stood, facing all four soldiers. The other three were the senior pilots from Kira's squadron: Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke and Sierra Chaes. He had the uncontrollable desire to throw a bomb at someone, but in front of these pilots, he kept calm. He turned to the Vice Captain, a tall man of his age with short beige hair and warm brown eyes. "You were with my squadron, under the command of Captain Dearka Elsman, investigating the conditions of Maius One and Two at GMT 0900 – correct?"

"Sir! Commander Yamato gave the order right after Maius One and Two were attacked by the nuclear missiles. Shinn, Lunamaria and Sierra launched upon his command, but there were no enemies in sight when we first arrived. They came from behind us only shortly after – around twenty enemy mobile suits, the type Unknown. They weren't ZAFT mobile suits," Laniel informed.

"What happened to your Commander?" Yzak asked. Lacus, who had been listening, suddenly winced with her eyes wide open as she fixed her eyes on Laniel. Shinn had to admit, the songstress looked like she would break under the pressure at any moment. Laniel turned to Shinn, nodding once.

"Sir!" Shinn straightened, turning his gaze on Yzak. "When we first met with the mobile suits from the Joule squadron, we were given the command to investigate what we could among the debris. There were a lot of missing mobile suits from the facilities, and that was when the attack came. We fought with them, along with Commander Yamato, but he suddenly issued an order to remain under Captain Elsman's orders – he said that he was taking his Enigma and as long as he has not returned, Captain Ghens is to take charge of the squadron as second-in-command in his place," Shinn said.

"Commander Kira returned to the _Aurora_ in the middle of the battle," Laniel continued. "The communications were jammed, but he gave an order to equip his Enigma with a booster. We couldn't make sense of the rest of his words. He hasn't returned yet since he launched."

"General Joule..." Shinn spoke up, his eyes filled with worry. "What happened? Is the Commander okay?"

Yzak turned his head away. "On Earth, a live coverage of the Freedom fighting mobile suits from both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT was shown in Orb at approximately 2200 GMT. The Freedom was taken down."

"_WHAT?_" Dearka and Shinn cried out at the same time. Laniel tensed, his brown eyes hard as he stared at the silver-haired General.

"Commander Kira was taken down?" That was Lunamaria. "He's... Did he..."

Yzak nodded slowly, his mind working fast as he did the maths. "If what you said was true, then it must be Kira in the Freedom. Current status: KIA. It's not impossible for him to make the journey to Earth with the Enigma," Yzak said, his brows furrowing considerably. "In any case, there are still a lot of things that we need to find out. Captain Ghens, you are to take command for the Yamato Squadron until further notice. That is all."

"Sir!" The four ZAFT soldiers saluted, their eyes clearly troubled as they reluctantly exited the office.

The ZAFT General sighed, his mind whirling as he tried to take control of the situation. He covered his eyes with his hand for a few minutes; Dearka and Shiho could only watch. Lacus had her head bowed again, silent as ever. Then, Yzak exhaled loudly, turning his eyes on Shiho. He nodded once, but she understood immediately: She locked the door, ensuring that nobody would come inside. Yzak moved around the table and stood in front of the silent songstress.

"Lacus," Yzak called her. She looked up questioningly at him, but he wasn't swayed by her acts. He had been her personal advisor long enough to know the little expressions she always had. Yzak's brows pulled together. "I covered for you on the way from Orb to here, but I will not allow you to make excuses any longer. You need to stop this," he said firmly.

"Yzak!" Dearka reprimanded him, shocked.

Yzak paid him no attention. "As it is, the current status of Kira is KIA if not MIA. The sooner you can accept that, the better. Either way, ZAFT and PLANTs needs you to settle the confusion. Will you acknowledge the act as those done by terrorists? What will you do with ZAFT's condition? The power to make those decisions is with you, Lacus! It is your responsibility and when you have subordinates under you, you cannot afford to lose to your emotions and stop leading them because _they_ rely on _you_ to keep them alive and on the right track!" Yzak said commandingly, his blue eyes burning.

Lacus froze as she heard his words. She looked up at him, surprised when his gaze suddenly softened slightly. "It might be difficult and painful, but a leader is still a leader," Yzak said quietly, turning his eyes away.

"Yzak..." Dearka trailed off, surprised at the words of his old comrade. Shiho was smiling – it wasn't the first time she had heard Yzak speaking like that.

With a deep breath, Lacus forced herself to stand. "You're right," she whispered, then smiled ever so slightly at the silver-haired Coordinator. He relaxed considerably at that small pull of her lips. "It's a good thing you're my personal advisor... isn't it?"

Yzak gazed at her deeply. "Dearka. Hahnenfuss. You may go now," he said, not even turning to look at them. Dearka arched an eyebrow and opened his mouth to argue but Shiho nudged him and shook her head before going out. Unsatisfied, the blonde-haired Coordinator followed her out and shut the door.

Lacus watched them leave and turned her eyes on the ZAFT General again. "Thank you Yzak..."

"If you despair, Kira's sacrifice might have been for nothing. Be the leader you need to be, for those under you," Yzak said, putting a hand on the Chairwoman's shoulder. Lacus pressed her lips together, but the sobs escaped her anyway. She hugged herself as she cried, her knees buckling underneath her as she cried like never before. Yzak could only crouch in front of her and hold her trembling shoulders as she cried, unable to say anything else.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day)<strong>

It was night. Fourteen hours had passed since they had witnessed the destruction of the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and Athrun stroked Cagalli's hair gently, finally able to put her to sleep after a lot of crying on her part. He was done crying. Yzak's words echoed in his mind and he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Once or twice, Cagalli would sob in her sleep, but Athrun knew that she was deeply unconscious now. It was the one thing he needed right now... despite what Yzak, Lacus and Cagalli had said, Athrun simply couldn't afford to leave things as they were currently. All he knew was that there was something he must do, no matter what. He could only be grateful that for now, Orb was peaceful. Athrun kissed Cagalli's cheek lightly and quietly made his way out of the Attha grounds and into his black car.

He drove at full speed, glad that there were no other cars in sight. Thankfully, Orb had always been a peaceful country, especially at night, and the only sound that reached his sharp ears were the quiet whir of the car's tyres. Within minutes, Athrun's car was already in the area of Mu and Murrue's mansion and orphanage. The door to the house opened before he was even out of his car. Clearly, Mu, Murrue and Waltfeld's senses were still as sharp as ever from the previous war. The one at the door was Waltfeld, holding a mug of coffee and arching his eyebrow at the sight of the blue-haired Coordinator.

"Well... I didn't think you'd come here at this time, Athrun," he remarked, waving a hand for Athrun to come inside.

Athrun smiled slightly, entering the house and sitting down on the sofa that Waltfeld had gestured to. "I'm sorry, Waltfeld-san. I –"

"Athrun-kun!" Murrue's voice was surprised when she appeared in the guest living room. Athrun looked up, noticing that Mu and Reverend Malchio were with her as well. "What are you doing here so late? Is everything alright?"

"Sorry," Athrun said again, lowering his gaze. Mu's face changed and he immediately led Reverend Malchio and Murrue to sit. Out of the four, it had always been Mu who was alert to both Kira and Athrun's feelings.

"Is everything alright, Athrun-kun?"

Athrun froze. That was the one voice that he did not want to hear, but when he looked up, his fears were confirmed. Caridad Yamato, Kira's mother, was standing behind Reverend Malchio, her eyes fixed on him questioningly, full with concern. Once upon a time, Caridad had been Athrun's mother, too... back when he and Kira were inseparable like close brothers... Even now, she still treated him like a son - like how she had always treated him - but Athrun could never bring himself to be close to her again after the war. "Yamato-san..." Athrun gritted his teeth, turning his eyes away as the tears began to fall slowly from his eyes. "I'm sorry... Kira..."

Everyone in the room looked surprised then, upon the mentioning of the young Coordinator's name. "Kira-kun? What happened to him?" Murrue asked, though she could already guess by Athrun's behaviour.

Athrun's eyes were troubled. "You weren't aware of it..?" he asked, already knowing from how Waltfeld had greeted him that they had not been shown the live footage of the Freedom in battle. _Which meant that the footage was not a public one_, Athrun noted. Murrue shook her head. Concerned, Mu stood beside Athrun and laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Athrun heaved a deep sigh. "The Freedom was engaged in battle this morning..." he said quietly, his eyes already saying everything else.

Caridad felt her knees buckle underneath her. "Kira..." she whispered, tears instantly coming down her cheeks. Reverend Malchio was by her side instantly. "Kira..?"

Athrun nodded once.

"Please tell us everything," Murrue's voice was stern.

"At 8PM yesterday, an attack was launched on the Botswana base in the South Afican Union," Athrun started, his fists clenched tight. He had no doubt the Archangel crew were already aware of this, but somehow, he could feel like there was a deep connection between all three happenings – it's impossible for them to _not_ be connected. "The attack was done by unauthorised forces from ZAFT's Victoria base, but due to someone hacking their system, this cannot be confirmed. Barely an hour passed before a nuclear attack was then launched onto Maius One and Two in PLANTs, destroying them completely, but Lacus said that the Earth Alliance did not issue an order to launch the attack. Yzak... said that Kira had been on PLANTs when Maius was attacked.

"We were visited by Lacus and Yzak this morning... around 10AM. I was the one who asked them to come, when I found out they were on Earth. We were discussing about the attacks when the Orb soldiers said that they were receiving a live coverage of the Freedom in battle. According to the coverage, the Freedom had been in battle for ten hours," Athrun explained, noticing Mu's hand tightening around his shoulder. "Shortly after that, he was defeated. Kira was..." Athrun trailed off, trying to block out the sounds of Caridad Yamato sobbing as he gritted his teeth. He refused to look up, even when Reverend Malchio ushered her to a different room. "The mobile suits that fought him were from the Earth Alliance and ZAFT. The ZAFT mobile suits were the latest production of Maius," he said, finishing.

"What is the world turning into..?" Mu said eventually, breaking the shocked silence. Murrue's eyes were wide and disbelieving and Athrun could not blame her. Even he refused to believe that Kira was gone. But he had seen it with his own eyes, how the Freedom had been split into two... There was no way a pilot sitting in that cockpit could have survived.

"Please..." Athrun bowed his head, his fingernails digging into his palms painfully. "Commander Mu, please... Will you take me to the hangar? I... I need to find out... I need to make sure..." he trailed off, the tears coming to his eyes again as he tried to control his emotions. "Kira... I cannot leave it like this," he said, his voice hard.

Murrue sighed. When Athrun looked up at her, he noticed that her eyes were full of tears as well, but she did not cry. "I guess it can't be helped. We can't leave it like that..."

"Ah... But it will be dangerous. There might be an ambush waiting," Mu warned.

"I know," Athrun's tone was absolute.

"I'll come too," Waltfeld said, his eyes intense. "That kid... I wonder what happened," he murmured to himself. "I'll take a Murasame and keep watch from above."

Athrun was surprised. "Waltfeld-san... You..."

"You're going to bring Justice back, aren't you?" Waltfeld countered. Silenced, Athrun bowed his head again. It was only when Waltfeld had said it that he realised that that was one thing he _did_ want to do, apart from checking the hangar for the Freedom.

"Ah," Athrun answered quietly, his eyes gleaming with a sort of anger and determination that was lost to him since the war, "Whoever it was that did this to Kira... I'll need the power to defeat it."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Mu asked, pulling the Coordinator to his feet. "It's already late. You could have come earlier, kid," he smiled at Athrun, though his eyes were dull with grief.

"Sorry," Athrun said sincerely. "I had to wait for Cagalli to sleep."

"It must be hard on her..." Murrue said quietly, her eyes briefly turned to the room where Caridad's sobs could still be heard. "Let's go."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 United States of South America (Present Day)<strong>

"_Take care, all of you. Make sure you return,_" Murrue's voice was firm.

"I get it," Mu answered. He and Athrun were already in their pilot suits. "Mu La Flaga. Akatsuki. Launching!"

"Andrew Waltfeld. Murasame. Let's go!"

They launched from the secret hangar of Orb, where the Archangel and Akatsuki had been stored. The gold Akatsuki dove straight into the water while the Murasame scoured the skies. Everything seemed quiet, and the radar on the Akatsuki did not detect anything as they moved. Even Waltfeld reported that the skies were clear, no heat signals that suggested anything peculiar going on. It was truly a quiet and peaceful night with no hints whatsoever that the world was dangerously close to entering war again. Athrun kept his eyes on the darkness outside, wondering what he might find when they reach the hangar in the United States of South America. He hated to admit it, but every inch of his body was hopeful to find some sort of clue that his friend was still alive. How could Athrun accept it if Kira had died on them? Alone, facing enemies when they should be fighting together... the fact that Athrun had been completely oblivious to any threat to them when Kira was already engaged in battle pained him.

"Don't let it get to you," Mu's voice suddenly broke through his thoughts. Athrun turned to look at him, surprised, and noticed that the mobile armour pilot's face seemed to have aged since he heard about Kira's death. "If what you said was true, you couldn't have helped him," he said calmly.

Athrun looked away. For some reason, the blue-eyed pilot always seemed able to read his mind - and Kira's. Mu glanced at him once and smiled slightly. "I'm not one to say though..." he trailed off quietly.

"Commander..?"

"If at all possible, I don't want to believe that kid has died myself," Mu admitted, his eyes hard.

"Ah..."

Briefly, Athrun remembered the moment when he was about to confront his father alone in PLANTs during the war seven years ago. He had decided to go alone, to learn about the truth from his father's lips himself. At the time, he was torn in two - whether to fight alongside Kira, or to return to ZAFT again. A part of him had believed in Kira... a part of him had always believed in Kira, no matter what the other Coordinator had said. Yet, a part of him refused to believe that he was fighting for the wrong thing and that his father was mistaken. That side of him was harder to shake. The thought of his hands being stained by the lives of the people he took for the wrong reasons unnerved him. It wasn't something he thought he could live with, which was why he had wanted to die with the Justice by self-destructing it in GENESIS. When he was about to leave for PLANTs, he believed that if he was mistaken, at least he would try to stop his father or die trying. Yet, before he left, Kira had stopped him and gave him a reason to stay alive. "It's not your time to die yet, Athrun..." That was what Kira had said. After he had tried to kill him, after killing his friends and destroying his home, Kira had asked him to stay alive. He was always, always, truly kind.

Athrun clenched his fists tightly. His emotions now were almost the same as that time seven years ago, when he had been ready to meet his father and learn the truth. Only now, he was on his way to learn about the truth of what he had seen fourteen hours ago - whether the Freedom was truly there or not, and whether it had really been Kira who had been piloting it. On one hand, Athrun knew that the other Coordinator was dead. There was no way a pilot could survive such an attack. Yet, on the other hand, he wanted to believe... he wanted to believe in Kira, as he had always done, faithfully, since they met on the Moon.

They continued the journey in silence. It did not take long before they were close enough to the cliff, and the Akatsuki began to surface. Waltfeld's Murasame whizzed past them.

"_I can see a mobile suit in the forests. ZGMF-K1001 Enigma..?_" Waltfeld said, reading the details from the screen of his Murasame.

Athrun felt as if a cold hand had gripped his heart. "Kira's unit..." he trailed off. _It still doesn't prove anything..._

"Anything else?" Mu asked.

"_No, that's the only one. It's inactive._"

"This is it, kid," Mu said, allowing the Akatsuki to lift off from the surface of the water. They landed gently on the cliff and was soon joined by the Murasame, already transformed into its mobile suit form. "I'll keep watch here with Waltfeld. Maybe you want to check out the Enigma first," Mu said, opening the hatch to the cockpit. Athrun nodded once, grasping the lever that would transport him to the ground. His hand was suddenly grabbed and he turned to Mu in surprise. The pilot's blue eyes were hard. "Whatever you find in there... don't push yourself too hard," he said. Athrun could only nod.

Once on the ground, Athrun took out his flashlight and walked into the forest, quickly locating the Enigma. It was white, and as Waltfeld had said, it was inactive. Just to be safe, Athrun took out his gun, but there was no real need – the cockpit hatch was open, and it was clear that the unit was empty. Athrun climbed inside and activated the Enigma, noticing that it was low on power. _Even if someone stole this, they couldn't get far..._he thought, turning the machine off again. "All clear. Maybe we should take it back with us," Athrun said, speaking to the communication device on his wrist. "I'm going to the hangar."

"_Roger._ _Are you sure you want to go alone, kid_?" Mu's voice was concerned as he asked Athrun from his Akatsuki.

"Ah," Athrun answered, "Don't worry, Commander Flaga. For sure... I'll return for sure. Please take care as well," he said and received a grunt in reply.

Athrun walked to the edge of the cliff, looking down. The fact that Kira had left his unit here... _It might not be him..._ the small voice at the back of his head said. Athrun shook his head quickly. He was here to find out. With one last look to the Akatsuki and Murasame, Athrun jumped, immediately feeling the cold emanating through his body as he hit the surface of the water. He was all-too-grateful for the pilot suit he was wearing – at least some of the chill was still kept out. Athrun swam quickly, finding the security latch that was camouflaged against the rocks. It took a few minutes, but he spotted it eventually, neatly in place and nearly invisible to the naked eye. It was just as they had always left it after tending to their Gundams. Athrun flipped the hatch open and moved closer to the small red laser beam that was shining from it. It scanned his retina and within a few seconds, a pathway fit for a person opened. Athrun swam inside and closed the door, allowing the water to be filtered out before he took his helmet off and took his gun out. So far, everything was normal.

He moved slowly, his eyes listening intently for any sound that might be suspicious in the hangar. There was nothing. No signs of any fight taking place, no signs of blood or scuffles. A small voice at the back of his mind told him that if Kira had really been taken against his will, then the Justice shouldn't be there as well. It wouldn't make sense to steal one unit and leave the other behind. Athrun moved towards the control panel, scanning his eye once again. The lights flicked on and, right in front of him, was the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice. Athrun's eyes widened and he clenched his teeth.

The Strike Freedom was not there.

The blue-haired Coordinator laughed shakily. "Baka... What did you expect, that the Freedom was here?" Athrun scolded himself, but he was shaking again.

His arms rested against the control panel, his body tense as he tried to control his emotions. "_Kuso_... Kira... Why..? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked aloud, his eyes turning to the Justice again. How many times had Athrun seen Kira being "killed" in battle? How many times had he grieved? How many more times could he take it? After seeing Kira surviving from the dead too many times, Athrun couldn't help but still be hopeful. He couldn't help but feel the need to believe...

"_Your friend... comrade... I killed him... But, I didn't know him. I didn't even want to kill him. You killed Tolle... But, you didn't know Tolle. It's not like you wanted to kill him either."_

"_I... wanted to kill you..."_

"_Me too, Athrun... I want to live in a world where I don't have to fight." _

Why had he fought alone, when they both had their swords to fight with? What if Kira was truly dead? Could he ever accept that? Could his heart ever stop putting in the faith that his friend was still alive, until he could see the body itself? How long _could_ his heart keep the faith, before it would truly break?

The Freedom was gone. But... it still doesn't prove it was him... It still doesn't prove it..._ Kira... Where are you? Why? Kira... Why?_

"Pull yourself together, Athrun," Athrun scolded himself again. "Maybe there was a chance..."

Athrun still wanted to believe. He still wanted to believe that it wasn't Kira who was piloting the Strike Freedom. Even when there were no signs of tampering with the retinal eye scan, even when there were no signs of a fight or scuffle, even when the Freedom, which had been programmed to allow either Kira or Athrun only to be able to operate it (much like the Justice itself), was no longer there... There was still that possibility that it wasn't Kira, right..? He wanted to believe that, because...

_With tears running down his cheeks, anger and sadness overwhelming him to an impossible degree, Athrun latched the Aegis onto the Strike, his green eyes burning with fury but wet as he cried for what had happened, for what they needed to go through, for what could and should have been but didn't. He punched the code number to self-destruct the Gundam, watching as the numbers decreased as the countdown began. Something, some sort of blind instinct then pressed the button to eject – Why? He could make out Kira's figure in the Strike's cockpit as he moved away from the Aegis, only a few seconds of escape before it self-destructed, blowing him away into the darkness._

He never apologised. To Kira. He never did. Even when they were fighting together with the Archangel, sharing rooms, him listening to Kira's moans and cries in his sleep and shaking the Coordinator awake, he could never bring himself to say it. Kira, too, never approached the subject, though Athrun knew that they both never forgot that day. Seven years had passed, but they had never forgotten it. He knew. He knew, because he felt it, just as how he knew Kira felt it. Their friendship had always been on the safe zone. Both talking, both smiling, both laughing, but there was something missing in that friendship which had changed after that one day... And he never apologised for it.

He never apologised for trying to kill him. He never apologised for never apologising. He never apologised for the damage done to their friendship, so fragile yet both still holding on, like a time bomb that was just ticking by. It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to... he was just afraid of the outcome.

In the war five years ago, he thought that Shinn had killed him. Even then, he had refused to believe that Kira had died. He had been plagued by the same thoughts that were plaguing him now. Every day, Athrun had wanted to apologise, but he couldn't bring himself to approach the other Coordinator. Kira, always, had seemed so far away even if they were sitting and drinking together, side by side. He would wake up at night due to Kira's cries and nightmares, and he would sometimes cry out of his own nightmares, sweat drenching his shirt and his eyes wild with fear. But always, in both situations where the other was present, the only words that would come out were reassurances. To hush, to go back to sleep because everything was fine now... everything was fine now...

"_Those lost in battles will never come back again."_

"_Don't you dare spit out those excuses as if you're the only one who knows that! Your hands are also stained with the many lives you've taken! _

"_Yeah... I know. That's why I'm really sick of things like this. ...I don't want to fight. Please don't make me fight..."_

"Torii!"

Shocked, Athrun's head shot up and sure enough, a familiar green mechanical bird was circling above him. Instinctively, Athrun held his hand out and the bird landed on it, tilting its head a few times questioningly as if trying to make sure that it was Athrun and not someone else who was holding it. Or maybe it was silently questioning why he was here. Why he had never tried to repair the broken friendship. Why he was crying.

"Kira..."

Images of their days at the moon. Images of the day he was ordered to leave with his mother. Images of Kira helping them pack. Images of his final three days when he worked day and night to make the mechanical bird. Images of him giving it to Kira, sure as ever that the other Coordinator would follow him to PLANTs soon and they would play again. Images of that damned woman who was one of the people who had killed Rusty. Images of Kira by her side, his eyes wide as he said his name, and he stopped. Images of him running away. Images of them fighting. Images of him latching the Aegis onto the Strike. Images of him crying for what he had done. Images of him crying after finding out Kira was still alive. Images of them finally being able to speak to each other again. Images of them obtaining peace. Images of them becoming enemies again. Images of them side by side again. Images of them trying to rebuild their lives. Images of two halves of the Strike Freedom exploding before reaching the ocean's surface.

"_KUSOOO..!_"

Athrun collapsed, the sobs coming freely now as he cried. "Kira..." There was no way Torii had been here, except if it had been with Kira all along. There was no way Kira would have left Torii behind in a place like this. The fact that Torii was here told Athrun everything, wiping away every single denial that he had been feeding himself since he saw the Strike Freedom go down: Kira had been here. He had entered the place himself. Faithfully, from the first day it landed on Kira's outstretched hands, Torii had followed him, and Kira had allowed it to keep him company before going into the Freedom's cockpit.

Athrun knew.

Kira had left Torii behind to let Athrun know that before launching the Freedom, he knew he was going to die.

"_It's yours... isn't it?"_

"_Yes. Thank you... A long time ago! From a friend... It's a precious item that I received from a precious friend..."_

"_I see..."_

"_I want to live in a world where I don't have to fight."_

_"It's not your time to die yet, Athrun."  
><em>

"_...I don't want to fight. Please don't make me fight..."_

_._

_._

_.  
><em>

"Athrun Zala. Justice. Launching!"

* * *

><p><strong>TIMELINE INFORMATION<strong>

**GMT TIME  
><strong>

**0800** Botswana attacked

**0900** Maius One and Two attacked

**1200** Freedom starts fighting

**2200** Freedom goes down

- - Botswana time: GMT+2

- - Orb time: GMT+12

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>We're back in present day! And from the next chapter onwards, we'll be really going into the plot. :D I might include two pages of information that might be important to the story after the next chapter. I was thinking of adding two chapters where I list down all the main OOCs involved in the story, as well as information about new mobile suits and ships, which will be updated regularly until we reach the final phase of this story. I love fics with character and mobile suit information, just to clear the confusion while reading, so I think I should do the same for this one.

I guess I should tell you guys that as well as having the whole plot with the battles and such, I'm looking at writing some sort of closure-story for GS/GSD with this fic. This includes the characters, not just ending the whole "COORDINATOR plus NATURAL equals to STALEMATE" wars type of thing. I didn't think the ending to GSD was really properly done - at the very least, I wasn't satisfied with it. If at all possible, I want to try and flesh out the canon characters as much as possible, and one of the things I really want to focus on most (apart from canon relationships) is Kira and Athrun's friendship. Honestly, I think it's just weird that they started as childhood friends, tried to kill each other, fought with each other, and can find peace again. I think even in the series, there was something off – it was like the friendship was too forced, and I don't think anyone can forget if their closest friend had tried to kill them (and vice versa) without some sort of confrontation or something. So it's something I want to try out with this fic, while still having a plot to truly end the war between the Naturals and Coordinators. If you have any views on this, let me know.

This chapter (and the whole story, really) has been largely inspired by the songs "Tomorrow" and "Ima Kono Shunkan Ga Subete" by Soichiro Hoshi (Kira). For this chapter in particular, it's "Mizu No Akashi" by Rie Tanaka (Lacus). Again, I thank those who alert-ed and favourite-d this story! Thanks also to my reviewers for the previous chapter: PrincessOfDestiny14, WaaWaa, sugarcarly, hakuMeyen and AngelicFox12. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know!

**hakuMeyen:** Teehee.. Thanks a lot! You've been a real supporter of this fic! I'm glad you like the balance for the romance. I love Athrun/Cagalli, but I also love most of the other canon couples. :D And no problem! Your reviews have helped me a lot in terms of motivation. Thank you!

**AngelicFox12:** Thanks dear! I'm glad the introduction managed to pull you in - I was afraid it was too confusing or something to start right in the middle of the attack, but I'm glad it worked for you. Thanks so much!


	5. CHARACTERS AND WEAPONS INFORMATION

**CHARACTER INFORMATION**

**ARCHANGEL CREW**

Archangel-class Ship. _Archangel_.

**Captain:** Captain Murrue Ramius.**  
>Mobile Armor Pilot:<strong> Mu La Flaga.**  
>Enemy detection and electronic warfare identification:<strong> Sai Argyle**  
>Enemy detection and electronic warfare identification (electronic warfare stations):<strong> Dalida Lolaha Chandra II**  
>Enemy search and detection: <strong>Jackie Tonomura**  
>Communications Controller (CIC):<strong> Miriallia Haw**  
>Ship Pilot:<strong> Arnold Neumann**  
>Fire Control Systems:<strong> Romero Pal**  
>Communications Operator:<strong> Kuzzey Buskirk**  
>Technician:<strong> Kojiro Murdoch

.

**JOULE SQUADRON**

Nazca-class Ship. _Voltaire_.

**Commander:** Yzak Joule**  
>Vice-Captain:<strong> Dearka Elsman**  
>Senior Pilot(s):<strong> Shiho Hahnenfuss

.

**YAMATO SQUADRON**

Second Generation Nazca-class Ship. _Aurora_.

**Commander:** Kira Yamato**  
>Vice-Captain:<strong> Laniel Ghens**  
>Senior Pilot(s):<strong> Sierra Chaes, Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke  
><strong>Communications Controller (CIC):<strong> Meyrin Hawke  
><strong>Known Technicians:<strong> Yolan Kent, Vino Dupre

.

**RENEGADE CREW:**

Second Generation Minerva-class Ship. _Renegade_.

**Captain:** Oern Aiten (Coordinator)**  
>Vice-Captain:<strong> Sethe Tienn (Natural)**  
>Communications Controller (CIC):<strong> Schellen Iyadomi (Natural)**  
>Enemy detection and electronic warfare identification:<strong> Carnell Toren (Natural)**  
>Mobile Armour Pilot(s):<strong> Takeru Irashi (Natural)**  
>Mobile Suit Pilot(s):<strong> Seorin Kaitke (Coordinator), Genei Alens (Natural), Tierra Hito (Natural), Aya Hattori (Coordinator), Liesel Asien (Natural)

.

**OTHER CHARACTERS:**

Daisuke Shen – A scientist from the abandoned colony of Mendel in Lagrange point 4 (Coordinator)

Ken Sienth – Daisuke's helper and close companion (Coordinator)

Hikari Sienth – Ken's younger sister (Coordinator)

Sirne Anfiel – Earth Alliance's Secretary-General (Natural)

Ryuu Apene – Blue Cosmos Leader (Natural)

* * *

><p><strong>MOBILE SUIT INFORMATION<strong>

**ZGMF-X19X Destiny Gaia (Shinn Asuka)**

**Unit Type:** Transformable Attack-Use Mobile Weapon**  
>Profile Model Number:<strong> ZGMF-X19X**  
>Code Name:<strong> Destiny Gaia**  
>Developed From:<strong> ZGMF-X42S Destiny and ZGMF-X88S Gaia**  
>Launched:<strong> C.E 79**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> ZAFT**  
>Operator:<strong> ZAFT

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height:<strong> 17.80 meters (MS mode)**  
>- Empty Weight:<strong> 69.85 metric tons**  
>- Colour:<strong> Black and Gold

**Power Plant:** Hypercompact Energy Battery**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armor:<strong> Second Generation Variable Phase-Shift Armour

**Armaments**  
>2 x MMI-GAU25A 20mm CIWS, mounted on head<br>2 x MMI-GAU26 17.5mm CIWS , mounted on chest  
>2 x MA-M100X "Edin" Beam Saber (stored on hips)<br>2 x MA-XE395 High-energy Beam Rifle (stored on hips)  
>1 x MMI-AE2 Mobile Shield (mounted on left arm when in mobile suit form)<br>1 x MA-45F Beam Assault Cannon (mounted on back, useable in mobile armour form only)  
>2 x MA-M200T "Aegis" Beam Short Blade (stored in legs)<br>2 x PE453A "High-Cut" beam boomerang

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System<p>

.

**ZGMF-X20C Hyper Duel (Yzak Joule)**

**Unit Type:** Close-Quarters Combat Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number:<strong> ZGMF-X20C (ZAFT)**  
>Code Name:<strong> Hyper Duel**  
>Developed From:<strong> GAT-X102 Duel and ZGMF-X42S Destiny**  
>Launched:<strong> 79 C.E**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> ZAFT**  
>Operator:<strong> ZAFT

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height<strong>: 18.9 meters**  
>- Empty Weight<strong>: 79.67 metric tons**  
>- Colour<strong>: Dark Blue and Grey

**Power Plant:** Hypercompact Energy Battery**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, cockpit in chest**  
>Armor:<strong> Second Generation Variable Phase-Shift Armuor

**Armaments**  
>2 x MMI-GAU25A 20mm CIWS, mounted on head<br>2 x MMI-GAU26 17.5mm CIWS , mounted on chest  
>2 x MA-M100X "Edin" Beam Saber (stored on hips, able to form a double-sided or single-sided beam saber)<br>2 x MA-XE395 High-energy Beam Rifle (stored on hips)  
>4 x MA-M200T "Aegis" Beam Short Blade (stored in legs)<br>2 x PE453A "High-Cut" beam boomerang  
>2 x MA-A853 Armor Schnieder (stored in legs)<br>10 x MSI-AH385 "Anele" Guided Missiles

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System<p>

.

**ZGMF-K1001 Enigma**

**Unit type:** Mass Production Transformable Mobile Suit**  
>Model number:<strong> ZGMF-K1001  
><strong>Code name:<strong> Enigma  
><strong>Manufacturer:<strong> Integrated Design Bureau (ZAFT)  
><strong>Operator: <strong>ZAFT  
><strong>Launched:<strong> C.E 77  
><strong>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, standard cockpit in torso

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>18.84 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>76.38 metric tons**  
>- Colour: White<strong>

**Powerplant:** Ultracompact Energy Battery with power extender  
>Hypercompact Energy Battery (for units owned by Dearka, Shiho, Lunamaria and Sierra only)<p>

**Armaments**  
>2 x MMI-GBA210-A 75mm CIWS, mounted in head<br>4 x MMI-GBA210-A 75mm CIWS, mounted on wings (mobile armour form only)  
>2 x MMI-M826 "Hydra" Gatling Beam Cannon<br>MMI-700 "Gigas" Beam Sword, stored on hips  
>2 x MS-100 "Armour Schnieder", stored on hips<br>Shield, mounted on left arm in mobile suit use

**Optional Equipment**  
>Enigma Wizard Packs<br>1 x MS-M95A High-energy Gun Launcher (mounted on back, Dearka's unit only)  
>1 x MS-M94A High-energy Hyper Impulse Cannon (extension for Gatling Beam Cannon, mounted on back, Dearka's unit only)<br>1 x MS-M93A Beam Boomerang (stored in legs, Shiho's unit only)  
>2 x MS-M92A Beam Rifle (stored in hips, Lunamaria's unit only)<br>2 x MS-M91A Beam Blade (stored in hips, Shiho and Sierra's units only)

.

**RENEGADE-A1001 Advocate (Genei Alens)  
><strong>

**Unit Type**: Artillery Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number: <strong>RENEGADE-A1001**  
>Code Name:<strong> Advocate**  
>Launched<strong>: C.E 79**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> RENEGADE

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>19.2 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>72.12 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Dark green

**Power Plant: **Ultracompact Fission Reactor**  
>Accommodation<strong>: Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armour

**Armaments**  
>Flyer Pack<br>- 8 x RN-R045 Guided Missiles (mounted on back, four on each side of the wing)  
>- 1 x RN-S200 Beam Sword (mounted on back)<br>6 x RN-R100 DRAGOON mobile weapon wing  
>2 x RN-R001 25mm CIWS (mounted on head)<br>6 x RN-R002 30mm CIWS (mounted on chest)  
>2 x RN-S194 Beam Sabers (stored in legs)<br>2 x RN-R291 Beam Rifles (mounted on hips)  
>2 x RN-R999 Beam Cannons (mounted on hips, able to be latched together as a Hyper Impulse Cannon)<p>

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>DRAGOON system

**Optional Equipment **

.**  
><strong>

**RENEGADE-A1002 Zantetsuken (Tierra Hito)  
><strong>

**Unit Type**: Artillery Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number: <strong>RENEGADE-A1002**  
>Code Name: <strong>Zantetsuken**  
>Launched<strong>: C.E 79**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> RENEGADE

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>18.79 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>79.12 metric tons**  
>- Colour:<strong> Black, Orange and Teal

**Power Plant: **Ultracompact Fission Reactor**  
>Accommodation<strong>: Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armour

**Armaments**  
>2 x RN-R001 25mm CIWS (mounted on head)<br>6 x RN-R002 30mm CIWS (mounted on chest)  
>2 x RN-S194 Beam Sabers (mounted on hips)<br>1 x RN-R432 350mm Railgun  
>1 x RN-R999X Hyper-Impulse Cannon (mounted on shoulder)<br>2 x RN-R999 High-Powered Beam Cannons (mounted on back)  
>1 x RN-E932 Beam Shield (installed on left arm)<br>2 x RN-R291 Beam Rifle (mounted on left arm, hidden behind the built-in beam shield)

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>Power Enhancer (used to quicken the speed of Hyper-Impulse Cannon recharge)

**Optional Equipment**

.

**RENEGADE-A1003 Premium (Liesel Asien)  
><strong>

**Unit Type**: Multi-Purpose Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number: <strong>RENEGADE-A1003**  
>Code Name:<strong> Premium**  
>Launched<strong>: C.E 79**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> RENEGADE

**General Characteristics****  
>- Overall Height: <strong>19.10 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>73.59 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Blue and White

**Power Plant: **Ultracompact Fission Reactor**  
>Accommodation<strong>: Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armour

**Armaments**  
>2 x RN-R001 25mm CIWS (mounted on head)<br>6 x RN-R002 30mm CIWS (mounted on chest)  
>1 x RN-S583 Beam-Edged Shuriken (mounted on left hip)<p>

RENEGADE Aero_ (Red Flyer)  
>(Used for high manoeuvrability, with additional thrusters)<em>  
>- 2 x RN-S194 Beam Sabers (able to form a double-sided or single-sided beam saber)<br>- 1 x RN-E932 Beam Carry Shield  
>- 2 x RN-R291 Beam Rifle<p>

RENEGADE Sword _(White Flyer)  
>(Used for close combat)<em>  
>- 2 x RN-S706 Sword (combinable, with double-edged beam coating)<br>- 1 x RN-S012 Beam Boomerang Blades

RENEGADE Aqua_ (Blue Flyer)  
>(Used for underwater combat)<em>  
>- 2 x RN-R291 Beam Rifles<br>- 2 x RN-R999 Beam Cannons (able to be latched together as a Hyper Impulse Cannon)

RENEGADE Haste _(Gold Flyer)  
>(Used for speed)<em>  
>- 2 x RN-S194 Beam Sabers (able to form a double-sided or single-sided beam saber)<br>- 1 x RN-E932 Beam Shield  
>- Voiture Lumiere propulsion system (gives the ability of doubling the speed for ten minutes)<p>

RENEGADE Stealth_ (Black Flyer)  
>(Used for stealth purposes)<em>  
>- 1 x RN-R432 350mm Railgun<br>- 1 x RN-E932 Beam Carry Shield  
>- 2 x RN-S194 Beam Sabers (able to form a double-sided or single-sided beam saber)<br>- Mirage Colloid stealth system (renders mobile suit invisible, visually and electronically)

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>RENEGADE Packs  
>- RENEGADE Aero<br>- RENEGADE Sword  
>- RENEGADE Aqua<br>- RENEGADE Haste  
>- RENEGADE Stealth<p>

**Optional Equipment **

.**  
><strong>

**RENEGADE-A1004 Apocalypse (Seorin Kaitke)**

**Unit Type**: Transformable Attack-Use Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number: <strong>RENEGADE-A1004**  
>Code Name:<strong> Apocalypse**  
>Launched<strong>: C.E 79**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> RENEGADE

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>19.00 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>72.59 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Dark Red

**Power Plant: **Ultracompact Fission Reactor**  
>Accommodation<strong>: Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armour

**Armaments**  
>2 x RN-R001 25mm CIWS (mounted on head)<br>6 x RN-R002 30mm CIWS (mounted on chest)  
>2 x RN-S194 Beam Sabers (mounted on hips)<br>2 x RN-R432 350mm Railgun  
>1 x RN-E932 Beam Shield (installed on left arm)<br>2 x RN-R291 Beam Rifle (mounted on hips)  
>1 x RN-S012 Beam Boomerang Blades<br>1 x RN-S706 Sword (stored in back, double-edged beam coating)  
>2 x RN-S893 Claws (installed in back, arms extending out and moveable)<p>

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>Voiture Lumiere propulsion system (gives the ability of doubling the speed for ten minutes)

**Optional Equipment**

.

**RENEGADE-A1005 Imperial (Aya Hattori)**

**Unit Type**: Assault Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number: <strong>RENEGADE-A1005**  
>Code Name:<strong> Imperial**  
>Launched<strong>: C.E 79**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> RENEGADE

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>20.43 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>78.32 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Turquoise

**Power Plant: **Ultracompact Fission Reactor**  
>Accommodation<strong>: Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armour

**Armaments  
><strong>Flyer Pack  
>- 8 x RN-R045 Guided Missiles (mounted on back, four on each side of the wing)<br>- 1 x RN-S200 Beam Sword (mounted on back)  
>2 x RN-R001 25mm CIWS (mounted on head)<br>6 x RN-R002 30mm CIWS (mounted on chest)  
>2 x RN-S194 Beam Sabers (mounted on hips)<br>2 x RN-R432 350mm Railgun  
>1 x RN-E932 Beam Carry Shield (mounted on right arm)<br>2 x RN-R291 Beam Rifle (mounted on hips)  
>1 x RN-S012 Beam Boomerang Blades<p>

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>Mirage Colloid stealth system

**Optional Equipment**

**.  
><strong>

**RENEGADE-C1001 Viper (Takeru Irashi)**

**Unit Type: **Support Craft Fighter-Plane Mobile Armour**  
>Model Number: <strong>RENEGADE-C1001**  
>Code Name:<strong> Viper**  
>Launched:<strong> C.E 79**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> RENEGADE

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Length: <strong>20.23 metres**  
>- Empty Weight:<strong> 47.11 metric tons**  
>- Colour:<strong> Silver and Dark Blue

**Power Plant: **Ultracompact Energy Battery**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot and navigator, in standard canopy-style cockpit

**Armaments**  
>6 x RN-R129A Machine Gun<br>2 x RN-R233A Missile Launcher  
>2 x RN-R211A Beam Cannon<br>2 x RN-R495A Beam Rifle

**Special Equipment**

**.**

**MVF-M20A Yamakaze  
><strong>

**Unit type:** Mass Production Transformable Mobile Suit**  
>Model number:<strong> MVF-M20A  
><strong>Code name:<strong> Yamakaze  
><strong>Manufacturer:<strong> Morganroete Inc.  
><strong>Operator: <strong>Orb Union  
><strong>Launched:<strong> C.E 79  
><strong>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, standard cockpit in torso

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>18.30 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>74.69 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Red and Gold**  
><strong>

**Powerplant:** Ultracompact Energy Battery with power extender

**Armaments**  
>2 x M2M5D 12.5mm CIWS, mounted in head<br>4 x M2M5D 12.5mm CIWS mounted on chest  
>1 x Type 70J Kai beam saber (stored in right hip)<br>1 x Type 72 high-energy beam cannon (stored in back)  
>1 x Type 72 Kai "Ikazuchi" Beam Rifle (stored in left hip)<br>Anti-air missile launcher (mounted on shoulders)  
>- 6 x Type 66A air-to-air missile<br>Shield, mounted on left arm in mobile suit use

**Optional Equipment**

.

**ZGMF-X99X Terminate (Miho)  
><strong>

**Unit type:** Heavy Assault Mobile Suit**  
>Model number:<strong> ZGMF-X99X  
><strong>Code name:<strong> Terminate  
><strong>Manufacturer:<strong> Integrated Design Bureau (ZAFT)  
><strong>Operator: <strong>ZAFT  
><strong>Launched:<strong> C.E 79

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>60.12 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>Unknown**  
>- Colour: <strong>Black and Grey

**Powerplant:** Double Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor  
><strong>Accommodation:<strong> Standard pilot only, cockpit in torso  
><strong>Armour:<strong> Trans-Phase Shift Armor

**Armaments**  
>10 x Multipurpose Missile Launcher<br>2 x High-energy Beam Boomerangs  
>4 x High-Energy Beam Cannon (Two mounted on shoulders, two mounted on back. Mobile Armour form only)<br>3 x 200mm Energy Cannon (Two mounted on torso, one located on hip. Mobile Suit form only)  
>3 x Multi-phase Energy Cannon (Two installed on arms, one located on hip. Mobile Suit form only)<br>8 x "Igelstellung" 75mm Automatic CIWS  
>15 x DRAGOON mobile weapon wing<br>1 x Plasma Cannon (Installed in chest)  
>1 x Large Anti-Ship Beam Sword (Stored in back. Mobile Suit form only)<p>

**Optional Equipment**  
>Trans-Phase Armour<br>Positron Reflector Shield  
>"Geschmeidig Panzer" Energy Deflection Armor<p>

.

**ZGMF-X00A Omnicide (Miho)**

**Unit Type: **Close-Quarters Combat Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number:<strong> ZGMF-X00A**  
>Code Name:<strong> Omnicide**  
>Manufacturer: <strong>Integrated Design Bureau (ZAFT)**  
>Operator:<strong> ZAFT**  
>Launched: <strong>C.E 79

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height:<strong> 17.63 meters**  
>- Empty Weight:<strong> 63.40 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Red and Black

**Power Plant:** Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Trans-Phase Shift Armor**  
>Armaments<strong>  
>6 x ACNP-5X Exodus DRAGOON mobile weapon wing<br>- 2 x AX-294A Beam Saber  
>- 2 x PE453A "High-Cut" beam boomerang<br>2 x MMI-GAU25A 20mm CIWS, mounted on head  
>2 x MMI-GAU26 17.5mm CIWS , mounted on chest<br>2 x MA-M100X "Edin" Beam Saber (stored on hips, able to form a double-sided or single-sided beam saber)  
>2 x MA-XE395 High-energy Beam Rifle (stored on hips)<br>4 x MA-M200T "Aegis" Beam Short Blade (stored in legs)  
>1 x MA-45F Beam Assault Cannon (mounted on right shoulder)<br>2 x MX2300 Beam Shield Generator (installed on arms)  
>1 x AX123 Anti-Ship Strike Sword<p>

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>High-Mobility Aerial Tactics (HiMAT) System<br>Neutron Jammer Canceller  
>DRAGOON system<p>

**Optional Equipment**

.

**ZGMF-X30A Ultimate Freedom (Kira Yamato)**

**Unit Type: **Assault Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number:<strong> ZGMF-X30A**  
>Code Name:<strong> Ultimate Freedom**  
>Developed From:<strong> ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom**  
>Launched:<strong> 79 C.E**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> Unknown

**General Characteristics****  
>- Overall Height:<strong> 19.55 meters**  
>- Empty Weight:<strong> 78.09 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Blue, White and Gold

**Power Plant:** Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armor**  
>Armaments<strong>  
>10 x ACNP-3X Ultra DRAGOON mobile weapon wing<br>- 2 x AX-327A Short Beam Sabers  
>- 1 x AX-243A Beam Boomerang<br>2 x MX-395A 15mm CIWS (mounted in head)  
>4 x MX-396A 20mm CIWS (mounted in chest)<br>1 x MX-904A Beam Assault Cannon (mounted on right shoulder)  
>1 x MX-906A Multi-phase Beam Cannon (mounted on left shoulder)<br>2 x MX-293A High-energy Beam Rifle (stored in hips)  
>2 x MX-000A Railgun (stored on legs)<br>2 x MX2300 Beam Shield Generator (installed on arms)  
>2 x AX-294A Beam Saber (mounted on hips)<br>2 x AX-395A Armor Schnieder (stored in legs)  
>1 x AX092 Anti-Ship Strike Sword (stored at back, able to create a beam coating)<p>

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Hardpoint for docking with METEOR<br>Ultra High-Mobility Aerial Tactics (U-HiMAT) System  
>Multi-Lock Weapons System ("Full Burst Mode")<br>Antimatter Hyper-Propulsion Catalyst System  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>Universal Communications Channel  
>DRAGOON system<p>

**Optional Equipment**  
>METEOR unit<p>

.

**ZGMF-X29A Divine Justice (Athrun Zala)**

**Unit Type: **Close-Quarters Combat Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number:<strong> ZGMF-X29A**  
>Code Name:<strong> Divine Justice**  
>Developed From:<strong> ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice**  
>Launched:<strong> 79 C.E**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> Unknown

**General Characteristics****  
>- Overall Height:<strong> 19.34 meters**  
>- Empty Weight:<strong> 74.67 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Red, Black, Gold

**Power Plant:** Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armor**  
>Armaments<br>**1 x Fatum-02 backpack/sub-flight lifter  
>- 1 x MX-906A Multi-phase Beam Cannon<br>- 1 x MX-904A Beam Assault Cannon  
>- 2 x AX-294A Beam Saber<br>- 2 x AX-327A Short Beam Sabers  
>2 x MX-395A 15mm CIWS (mounted in head)<br>4 x MX-396A 20mm CIWS (mounted in chest)  
>2 x MX-000A Railgun (stored on legs)<br>2 x AX-294A Beam Saber  
>2 x AX-243A Beam Boomerang<br>1 x "Force Stealer" Sonic Anti-Ship Sword

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Hardpoint for docking with METEOR<br>Ultra High-Mobility Aerial Tactics (U-HiMAT) System  
>Antimatter Hyper-Propulsion Catalyst System<br>- "Wings of Hope" Power Enhancer  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>Sonic-Enhanced Sword

**Optional Equipment**  
>METEOR unit<p>

* * *

><p><strong>NEW TECHNOLOGY<strong>**  
><strong>

**Hypercompact Energy Battery (HEB) -** The second generation of Ultracompact Energy Battery (UEB). A HEB has twice the amount of efficiency in energy use compared to UEB, allowing the mobile suits equipped with it to enter the battlefield for twice as long as a normal mobile suit.

**RENEGADE Packs -** RENEGADE Packs are a special system for the RENEGADE-A1003 Premium Gundam, similar to Striker Packs or Silhouettes. It is a refined version of the Impulse's Silhouette system whereby the mobile suit launches in its MS form before the packs are catapulted using the Minerva-class Ship _Renegade_'s special catapult system. RENEGADE Packs are connected to the Premium Gundam by a special electromagnetic system, enabling the Premium Gundam to change packs in mid-battle.

**Multi Phase-Shift Armour -** A different variety of Phase-Shift Armour. The Multi Phase-Shift Armour can allow different Phase-Shift Armours to activate simultaneously. This differs slightly from the Variable Phase Shift Armour, whereby the pilot is required to alter the strength of the Phase-Shift Armours themselves during combat.

**Second Generation Variable Phase-Shift Armour - **An improved version of the Variable Phase-Shift Armour, with better strength and efficiency.

**N-Absorber** - A feature unique to Heliopolis's new shields, "The Protectors of Heliopolis". It is a special device that enables high levels of gamma emissions to be absorbed and transformed into a different form of energy. It could even possibly hold up against a GENESIS equipment, making it a form of anti-GENESIS device.

**Antimatter Hyper-Propulsion Catalyst System** - A separate generator installed on the Ultimate Freedom, whereby the generator is able to generate antimatter particles used as a catalyst to the nuclear reactor installed. The reaction caused by the particles are then used to generate a tremendous amount of energy, giving the mobile suit the speed of three times its normal for a limited amount of time.

**"Wings of Hope" Power Enhancer** - A small upgrade from the Antimatter Propulsion system. When activated, wing-like emitters will be released at the back where energy from the reaction will be utilised to the maximum potential, promising better manoeverability and control over the propulsion system. Depending on what the pilot wants, the size and opacity will change with the amount of energy needed.

**Sonic-Enhanced Sword** - A special feature of the Divine Justice's anti-ship sword. The sword emits sonic frequencies as it is used, making it extra sharp and more deadlier in close-quarters combat.


	6. PHASE 05: Reasons For War

**PHASE FIVE: Reasons For War**

**C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day)**

They walked slowly back towards the mansion. The ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice was safely stored in the secret hangar of Orb, along with Kira's white Enigma, the golden Akatsuki and Waltfeld's Murasame. Torii perched itself safely on Athrun's shoulder as they made their way back. Athrun's head was bowed low, his eyes dull as he walked with Murrue, Mu and Waltfeld. From time to time, they would glance at the blue-haired Coordinator and sigh, not knowing any words of comfort that could console the pilot – after all, they felt the loss as much as Athrun had. Mu, especially, kept a close eye on the young pilot. He noticed the changes in the boy as they neared the mansion – the way Athrun's eyes seemed glazed, then taking a determined look as he clenched his fists tightly. From time to time, even Torii flapped its wings and looked at the young Coordinator questioningly, but Athrun remained silent.

When they entered the house, Athrun was surprised to see Cagalli there, sitting on the same seat he had occupied a few hours ago. Her eyes widened as she spotted him and she rose – a small "Kira..?" escaped her lips, but then she spotted Torii, and Athrun's face, and collapsed onto the seat once again. Athrun looked away. He couldn't shake that _guilt_ that was burdening his shoulders... how was he to console Cagalli?

"Sorry..." Athrun whispered quietly at the golden-haired girl. _Sorry for not being able to stop it... Sorry for going against your orders... Sorry for everthing..._

Cagalli shook her head. "It's okay... Athrun..." she said, her eyes dull. Clearly, she had been crying again. "Thank you..."

Athrun nodded once and moved to the window, looking out. It was nearing dawn – he could just see the skies beginning to lighten slightly, but it was still dark outside. He could sense Waltfeld busying himself with a jar of coffee, and Murrue and Mu was talking quietly to themselves. Even with his eyes on the outside world, Athrun could sense everything that was going on in the four-floored mansion. The children, he knew, were sleeping peacefully in their rooms on the top floor of the mansion. The third floor, where all their rooms were located, were empty. He could not detect any movement in the second floor as well, but he could just sense Caridad Yamato sleeping in the room beside the living room, with Reverend Malchio caring for her.

The aroma of coffee beans filled Athrun's nostrils and he heard Waltfeld place his coffee jar on the table. Murrue joined him shortly with cups and light snacks.

"Kira... had been fighting to protect Orb," Athrun said suddenly, his voice quiet but no longer holding the dullness that filled him the day before. This time, he was making a statement. They all looked up at him and Cagalli's eyes were shining. "There's no other explanation for it."

"That is..." Cagalli trailed off disbelievingly.

Waltfeld smiled and held his mug of coffee up at Athrun. "We know that," he said, taking a small sip of its contents.

"But..." Cagalli interjected. How could she allow herself to accept it if her brother had died trying to protect _her_ nation?

Athrun turned and rested his back against the wall, his arms crossed as he faced them. "It's the only explanation, Cagalli. Orb had been under threat, and Kira knew about it. We found his ZAFT unit at the hangar – ZGMF-K1001 Enigma. If the threat had been to PLANTs, Kira could have easily fought with that mobile suit," Athrun pointed out. The Enigma, after all, was one of ZAFT's latest mass-produced mobile suits, with specifications that easily surpassed other mobile suits. Athrun turned his eyes away again. "The Earth Alliance had been attacked – so have PLANTs. It wouldn't make sense if he had been fighting to protect the EA. They had just been attacked by nuclear weapons, after all..."

Mu sat down, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Having military bases that acts against the government's orders and against the nation's ideals could only mean that there is a coup d'état. We still don't know their objectives, but Orb is definitely a threat to it," he said, leaning back as he drank his coffee, his blue eyes on Cagalli. "Kira must've known that Orb must not be weakened."

"But..!" Cagalli stood up, her eyes shining with tears again. Anger filled her mind, as well as deep anguish for her dead twin. "But Orb has its own military! We have our own forces to fight if anyone attacks us. So... _why_..?"

"Their objective wasn't a battle," Murrue answered simply. Cagalli, shocked, turned to Murrue. "If they were looking for a battle, then they wouldn't launch an attack on Botswana and PLANTs without having back-up mobile suits to continue the fight."

"Then... why..?"

"To let us all know that out there, someone is looking for war again," Athrun and Waltfeld said simultaneously. "It's no ordinary war as well," Waltfeld continued. "They have their objectives, and they're showing us that they have the means to achieve that objective. That's probably why they showed you the footage of the Freedom. They'll probably give us the chance to support their causes soon enough," he said darkly.

Cagalli knew. She had already known that ever since she saw the Freedom go down. But that still didn't mean she didn't try to deny that fact. She sat back down slowly, her eyes shining with the tears that were too tired to run down her cheeks. Athrun gazed at her, his arms longing to hold her and comfort her, but even he couldn't do that. What could he say to her, after all?

The next day, Athrun Zala led a group of twelve Murasames to scour the oceans on Earth in search for clues for the Freedom's battle, but he did not look far. The tell-tale signs of battle were discovered in the South Atlantic Ocean, only minutes away from their hangar in the United States of South Africa. Athrun had gazed at the floating pieces of armour and saluted, making a pledge to continue Kira's fight from where he had been taken down.

When he informed Mu and Murrue about it later that night, they exchanged glances and nodded to each other. "Guess we're still not done fighting yet," Mu shrugged. "Well, it was a good five years."

"I guess so," Murrue nodded. She unclipped the Archangel badge from her shirt and gazed at Athrun, who nodded in agreement. "It can't be helped," she sighed, activating the badge. Around the universe, the official badges of the Archangel members began to shine.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs (Present Day)<strong>

Yzak tapped his foot against the floor continuously, his arms crossed and his face pulled into a scowl as he waited for the meeting to end. Lacus, and the rest of the council members, were really taking their time with their discussion. At times like these, Yzak _almost_ wished that he had accepted to become a council member three years ago. Not far beside him stood Dearka Elsman and Shiho Hahnenfuss. Dearka was busy watching the news on his mobile device while Shiho had her hands behind her back, standing idly with her eyes on the ceiling. A few hours ago, the three of them, and Lacus, had talked about the Freedom as how the Archangel crew had been discussing in Orb. They, too, had come to the same conclusion – that it was a planned coup d'état, and the destruction of Maius One and Two was only the beginning.

For the umpteenth time, Yzak glanced at his watch. Shiho, who had been spying on him from the corner of her eye, felt her lips pull up involuntary as she tried to hide her amusement. Yzak, of course, saw that. With a small huff of exasperation, he glared at his senior pilot. "Something funny, Hahnenfuss?" he asked, annoyed.

Shiho shook her head. "They will finish soon. You should calm down, _General_," she said teasingly.

"Shut up," Yzak snapped, angered.

She wasn't finished teasing him. With the look of a pure soldier, ready, determined and brave, Shiho's face turned serious as she stood straight, her right hand moving to salute the purple-uniformed General. "Yes, sir!"

He felt like his patience was as thin as an onion's skin, ready to snap at the smug pilot. Before he could hurl the curses at her, the large screen in the hall lit up with the first morning newsflash. News of angry mobs of Coordinators wanting revenge for Maius One and Two were shown. They had gathered together in different parts of PLANTs, holding signs of "Remember Junius Seven!", "How many more times?" and many others. Yzak scowled at the news. The public had already been told that both attacks weren't issued by ZAFT and the EA – yet it seemed as if they believed that the works of ZAFT was done by terrorists, but that the attack on Maius One and Two were still conducted by the EA. In a few areas, there were even shouts of support for the damned soldiers who had attacked the Botswana base.

Yzak glared at the screen as he listened to the news, finding it absolutely unsurprising that similar reactions were shown by the Naturals as well. The world, broken and terrified, was asking for another war and that did not rest well with the silver-haired General at all. He was glad that Lacus had issued the work to be done by terrorists, but it's still a fact that someone had retaliated, resulting in damages on their part – whatever the Council was discussing, the citizens were definitely not happy with just leaving things as they were.

Huffing to himself, Yzak tapped his foot against the floor again. He wondered what the Council members were talking about, yet a part of him knew that Lacus would sure be struggling to maintain the peace against some of the Council members' hatred towards the Naturals. Once upon a time, even Yzak would have opposed Lacus, but the Dearka's words always echoed in his mind, that one day when they confronted each other when both the Duel and Buster found themselves on the opposite sides of the battlefield. Idiotic or not, Naturals were human beings too, with their own rights to live.

He was pulled from his thoughts when a voice called his name, addressing him as "General Joule". Yzak stood straight and looked at the newcomer – a woman dressed in plain clothes, with dark brown hair and black eyes. She greeted Yzak with a salute and when Shiho and Dearka moved closer to Yzak, the woman lowered her voice, her eyes darting around the deserted place a few times before she spoke; "I am here under Lacus Clyne's orders. I'm under the Clyne Faction. General Yzak Joule and Captain Dearka Elsman – you are required to come with me."

Yzak's eyes narrowed. How _dare_ this plain-clothed newcomer decide to come and give him orders. Not only that, she did not even acknowledge his senior pilot who was standing on his left! Yzak opened his mouth to argue but the woman neatly placed a hand on his mouth, shaking her head with a wink. "I'm sorry. But the Clyne faction requires secrecy, and I cannot tell you my name. But... I guess you can call me Aki. Please come with me – all three of you, if you must," she said, nodding to Shiho. Yzak pulled back in disgust. _Trust Lacus to be up to something like this..._ He had heard, of course, of the Clyne Faction – Yzak supposed that it couldn't be helped that they were active again with the recent events. He eyed the door to the Council meeting suspiciously and then nodded to both Dearka and Shiho – they would follow.

They took the elevator away from Aprillius One, making their way to Maius Seven. Yzak was surprised with how easily Aki led them, past the main weapon development factories and into the underground section of the colony. He also noticed that they were going through routes that were mostly deserted. There was no surprise there, of course. What _did_ surprise the General was what she did when they were moving down an empty hallway that he knew would lead to an elevator shaft going further down to a hangar for ship development. Half-way through the hallway, they stopped, and the woman turned to the wall and began to tap it in numerous places. Yzak watched incredulously. Even Dearka arched his eyebrow. One couldn't help but think that the woman was perhaps demented with the way she was behaving with the wall. Surprisingly, in a few short seconds, the wall then moved back and sideways, revealing another hidden hallway.

Yzak was stunned. "_Kisama_! What are you –"

"Shh! Inside, now!" Aki ordered, pushing Yzak from behind. Shiho and Dearka followed and the wall closed quietly behind them. Yzak knew that the Clyne Faction had been operable for years now, ever since Siegel Clyne became the Chairman of ZAFT, but to think that they had been operating in the same military headquarters right under ZAFT's noses was an insult. He immediately regretted scoffing at their abilities before this – this group was the one responsible for handing the Freedom to Kira seven years ago, after all... an act that changed the history of the wars between the Naturals and Coordinators ever since.

They moved again, more urgently this time, until they met a doorway with two guards. Yzak was already feeling apprehensive. He knew what was coming. The woman nodded once and the guards took out their key cards, swiping them simultaneously on the security lock. The system was one familiar to ZAFT to hide their Generation Unrestricted Network Drive Assault Module units, otherwise known as GUNDAMs. The doors opened, revealing four surprised-looking soldiers.

"General Joule!" Shinn Asuka cried out despite himself. "What's going on?" he asked, immediately nudged by a stern-looking Captain Laniel Ghens who saluted at the silver-haired General. Lunamaria Hawke and Sierra Chaes only sighed at the black-haired Coordinator's attitude.

"I would like to know myself," Yzak answered, for once not caring about the soldier's rude mannerisms to a commanding superior. "You better have some good answers about this," he said to Aki, narrowing his eyes.

As if to answer his question, the lights turned on and Yzak's eyes widened at the sight of the five mobile suits there. Three of them, he saw, were the ZGMF-K1001 Enigma that was the unit he owned himself. The other two were, without a doubt, Gundams. Aki waved at the five mobile suits and turned to them, smiling slightly. "Lacus-sama wishes to entrust these units to you," she said, addressing them, "excluding Captain Ghens and Shiho Hahnenfuss –"

"_WHAT?_"

"– due to our suspicions regarding the situation we are now facing. Lunamaria Hawke, Sierra Chaes and Captain Elsman are assigned the ZGMF-K1001 Enigma," she continued, ignoring Yzak's outraged cry. "These Enigmas are the same as the one currently piloted by _General_ Joule, but we modified these slightly, and they are powered by a Hypercompact Energy Battery," she said, her voice holding a small amount of sarcasm that Yzak detected. He arched his eyebrow, but Aki said nothing.

In truth, Aki (and the rest of the Clyne Faction) were dissatisfied with how Lacus had insisted that they did not install nuclear reactors in the mobile suits, due to it being against the treaty. Lacus might have used the loophole that she was a fugitive to install the nuclear reactors in the Freedom and Justice during the previous wars, but now being the provisional Chairwoman of PLANTs, she wouldn't allow it. Aki really couldn't care less about the damned treaty, but her respect for Lacus kept her from disobeying. "Currently, a typical Enigma is powered by an Ultracompact Energy Battery with a power extender, but even the power extender cannot double the power of the UEB. The HEB, on the other hand, can. It has a more efficient energy-saving system, but nowhere near as efficient as a nuclear reactor," she explained sadly. Sighing, she then turned to the black-haired Coordinator. "Shinn Asuka?"

"Yes!" Shinn stepped forward, his eyes undoubtedly shining with delight at the thought of being able to pilot a Gundam again.

"Honestly, I don't know why Lacus-sama chose _you_ as the pilot for this unit," Aki said coldly, deliberating releasing her dissatisfaction with the songstress on the unsuspecting pilot. "You _were_ fighting for Chairman Durandal _against_ Lacus-sama in the last battle, after all, but nobody can deny the fact that you _are_ an exceptional pilot –"

"_What did you say_?"

"– so I guess we just need to trust in Lacus-sama's judgement. Honestly, that girl... This unit," she gestured at the Gundam on the left. "ZGMF-X19X Destiny Gaia."

"...ZGMF-X19X Destiny Gaia..?" Shinn echoed. _Gaia... Stellar's unit..._

"It has been developed from the previous ZGMF-X42S Destiny unit, as well as the ZGMF-X88S Gaia. The Destiny Gaia, like the Gaia it had been developed from, is a transformable attack-use mobile weapon. It can transform into a fighter-plane mobile armour. It's powered by a Hypercompact Energy Battery, with a Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System like the Impulse. We will install the system into both your ships," she said, nodding at Laniel and Yzak. _A pain if you tell me..._ "The unit is protected by a Second-Generation Variable Phase Shift Armour which is more efficient than what you had last time. Though Lacus-sama did not exactly ask me to mention it, you _better_ fight for the right reasons this time," the woman finished, her eyes narrowed at the black-haired Coordinator who was staring daggers at her.

Shinn turned his head away and crossed his arms. "It's not my problem all you guys did in the last war was to cause confusion," he scoffed.

"Shinn, stop it," Laniel reprimanded, his voice stern. Shinn snorted and walked closer to his Gundam, looking up at it with unreadable eyes. _Gaia... Stellar..._

Aki scowled and rolled her eyes. "You could be a little _grateful_," she complained, crossing her arms. Shinn decided to ignore her.

Laniel smiled. "Don't worry, he's grateful for it, alright," he promised her, his eyes on the other Coordinator.

"He better be!" the woman cried out. She sighed and turned away from Shinn, facing Yzak now. "Your unit. This one," she said, gesturing to the Gundam on their right, "ZGMF-X20C Hyper Duel. It was developed from the previous GAT-X102 Duel that you piloted in the first war, as well as the ZGMF-X42S Destiny. This mobile suit is more like the previous Duel. It's a close-quarters combat mobile suit, powered by a Hypercompact Energy Battery, with a Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System. Also armoured with the Second Generation Variable Phase-Shift Armour," she finished, placing her right hand on her hip. "You can look at the other specifications later," she said, addressing them both.

Yzak was silent for a moment. His eyes gazed up at the Gundam, remembering events in the first war when they had stolen the four Gundams that led to the destruction of the space colony, Heliopolis. Yzak let out a small "tsch", which surprised the woman, and turned his blazing blue eyes on her. "That is all right," he started, his voice rising slightly, "but you forgot something."

"What?" Aki asked, surprised.

"_Her_!" Yzak said scathingly, his forefinger pointed at a surprised-looking Shiho Hahnenfuss. "If anyone should get a unit, it should be her. She's a better pilot than Dearka –"

"HEY!"

"– and I will not take 'no' for an answer. I will not tolerate you overlooking my best pilot, not when we will be facing another war so soon," Yzak said, his eyes narrowed.

The woman sighed, her hand moving to her forehead. "You people... _General_ Joule, you have a ZGMF-K1001 Enigma, right? That unit can easily be transferred to her if you _wish_," she said, her eyes staring daggers at him.

Yzak considered this. "I want it to have custom weapons," he decided eventually.

"_WHAT?_ But we're low on time as it is!" she complained.

"Which is exactly why you should work quickly," Yzak said smugly. "If that is all, I need to get back. Dearka, Hahnenfuss. Let's go," Yzak commanded, saluting Laniel and his group before turning to stalk away. _That'll teach her not to act so cocky in front of me._

Shiho followed, turning to salute before walking away. Dearka could only grin, turning to face Aki with a small wink. "I'd like mine to have custom weapons as well," he said, saluting and moving away from the rest. The woman could just hang her head, wondering how in PLANTs she had managed to get into such a problematic situation.

"Relax," a kind voice made her look up. Laniel had an amused smile on his face. "The war hasn't started yet," he pointed out. "Shinn, we're leaving," he called to the Coordinator, who nodded and moved to stand beside him. "Thank you for all you have done," Laniel said thoughtfully.

"If only we have more gentlemen like you around," Aki said forlornly, glowering at Shinn who suddenly snorted.

Laniel laughed. "Excuse me," he said, saluting her before leading the group away.

Despite the terrible conditions, the Clyne Faction worked hard for the remaining week and came up with custom weapons for the four Enigmas and also replaced the battery in Shiho's unit with a Hypercompact Energy Battery. A High-Energy Gun Launcher and a Hyper Impulse Cannon were equipped with Dearka's unit, while two Beam Blades were equipped on Sierra's unit. Another two Beam Blades of the same type was equipped on Shiho's unit along with a Beam Boomerang while Lunamaria's unit was equipped with two Beam Rifles.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union (Three Days Later)<strong>

Miriallia Haw was the last Archangel member to arrive on the ship. When she boarded the Archangel, she was not at all surprised to see that all the Archangel members were already there – from Captain Murrue to the technicians and cooks. It was a nostalgic feeling, but she couldn't help but wish that the reason for them all getting together like this wasn't due to war that was threatening to break out. She made her way to the Archangel's bridge immediately and was greeted warmly by Murrue La Flaga. The rest on the bridge were Athrun Zala, Cagalli Yula Attha, Commander Mu La Flaga, Sai Argyle, Dalida Lolaha Chandra II, Jackie Tonomura, Miriallia Haw, Arnold Neumann, Romero Pal, Kuzzey Buskirk, Kojiro Murdoch, Colonel Kisaka and Commander Waltfeld – all members of the official Archangel crew, except for Cagalli, Kisaka and Waltfeld.

"Well, it looks like everyone is here," Murrue started, smiling slightly. "I'm sorry that we have to meet again like this, everyone... but it cannot be helped."

"Wait!" Sai Argyle stepped forwards, his eyes scanning the room again. "Where's Kira?"

Murrue and Athrun exchanged glances. Athrun turned his green eyes to Kira's old friend and Sai was surprised to see that the Coordinator looked wary. "Kira... is KIA," he said slowly, ignoring the surprised gasps and shouts of protests from the Archangel members who were still not aware of the news. Cagalli had her head bowed low. "He was killed four days ago when he battled with the Freedom," Athrun said quietly. Briefly, he began to explain everything that they knew – from the attack in Botswana to the destruction of Maius One and Two and the ten-hour battle involving the Freedom. "The communications channel that showed the footage is an unknown one. Orb's military has been trying to track it, but so far, we're unsuccessful. But it doesn't change the fact that the Freedom had been taken down."

"No way..."

"Kira is KIA..?"

"Kira..."

"We called you here because we have reason to believe that another war is coming," Murrue said, gaining the attention of the crew members again. "I don't want to fight again if I can help it, but it's too late for that. Kira-kun had believed that we still needed to fight, and I cannot put his efforts to waste. If any one of you refuse to fight again, that is understandable... and I thank you for at least having the loyalty to the Archangel to come here again," Murrue said, bowing to the crew members. There were small murmurings between the crew, but in the end, nobody left. Murrue straightened, a small smile on her lips. She could never ask for a better crew than this.

"It's likely the three attacks were just there to inform everyone of their military capabilities," Mu said, stepping forward to stand beside Murrue. "Their objectives are still unknown, but I believe we'll learn about them soon. In any case, we're still waiting for another attack by these rogue soldiers and learn their goals. For now, we should keep our eyes open for the news of any weird incidents and prepare ourselves. If worse really comes to worse, the Archangel will need to launch into battle again." The crew only nodded in response.

For the next two days, the Archangel crew busied itself with preparations for launch. Deep in their hearts, they hoped that they never would, but a part of them knew that hoping for such a thing was futile – the damage had been done, the Freedom had been destroyed, Kira was killed, and they were once again in a silent war with an unknown enemy. The bridge's crew took shifts of watching the news from all the channels available as they kept themselves on stand-by. It was a frustrating two days of waiting in anticipation for what they knew were coming.

Since the night Athrun had reclaimed his Infinite Justice, he, Cagalli, Mu, Murrue and Waltfeld especially had been extremely busy with the matters concerning Orb and the Archangel. Athrun, for starters, had been busy with Orb's military, trying to track down the source of the footage. They kept the coordination of the channel, but it remained offline throughout the five days since Freedom's demise. Athrun increased the training sessions of Orb's pilots, using an old Murasame unit to battle with the soldiers in a mock fight – since the war five years ago, Orb's Murasames had been upgraded and enhanced while still maintaining the weapons and efficient technology. In terms of power and speed, there was a definite change in their performance.

Cagalli, in particular, had been genuinely surprised when she looked over the specifications of the Archangel one day and realised that there were a few small changes to the ship. Four new Thermonuclear Pulse Thrusters were installed onto the ship and the technology for the Gottfried and Valiant had been enhanced, ensuring better performance. When Cagalli approached Murrue and asked about it, the old captain merely blushed slightly and said that they could never be too careful and that, like everyone else, they were always prepared for a possible battle.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 (Multiple Locations) (Two Days Later)<strong>

The waiting game ended precisely on the seventh day after the Freedom was taken down. It was early and Athrun had just finished getting dressed after showering. Torii hopped onto his shoulder as he buttoned his uniform and Athrun smiled at it. He had always been very proud of the mechanical bird, which he believed was one of his best creations yet. The bird was designed to be able to recognise Kira's close companions, and it had never failed before. Athrun had designed the bird in such a way due to him believing that Kira would join him in PLANTs after they were separated – he had always kept a look-out for the green bird, wondering when Kira would come and when Torii would unite them together again. He had been mistaken, however. The day Torii found him, they were two enemies standing on the opposite sides of the fence. It was funny how, at the time, they were both so torn with whether they were enemies or not, yet this simple mechanical bird had clearly shown them that they still shared that bond of friendship.

Athrun shook his head and exited his room, making his way to the living room. He was surprised to see Cagalli there already, sitting on a chair and sipping a cup of coffee. She smiled at him when he joined her – they were both beginning to move on from the knowledge of Kira's death, but they were still wary with the condition in the world. After five years of peace, the thought of battling in war again did not appeal to them at all – or anyone else for that matter. Walking over to the Representative, Athrun stole her sandwich and moved to the middle of the room where he turned the television on, listening to the news of the riots going on in PLANTs and Lacus's attempts in trying to calm the citizens.

He was soon joined by Cagalli who came to stand beside him, holding out a mug of coffee which he accepted gratefully. Cagalli watched Lacus who continued to meet the people of PLANTs, talking to them quietly but sternly as she tried to persuade them to throw away any more thoughts of wars. For the most part, her efforts were working, as usual - at least to the citizens of PLANTs. There was no denying her influence on the people of PLANTs after all.

"That guy, Sirne Anfiel, has been doing a lot to calm the people in Earth as well," Athrun said suddenly, taking a sip of his coffee. "All these years, the Earth Alliance has always been under the control of Blue Cosmos and LOGOS, but Sirne Anfiel has been really doing his best," he said as the news switched to the situation on Earth.

"I suppose so," Cagalli agreed. It was a true statement, however. Sirne Anfiel, despite the pressure he must be receiving in Washington DC, was still releasing statements on how war should be avoided as much as possible and that they were not to attack PLANTs without proper proof or official declaration of war. Knowing the state of those in the Earth Alliance, it was something that Cagalli couldn't help but feel respect for.

The Earth Alliance was a coalition of four main entities, namely the Atlantic Federation, the Eurasian Federation, the Republic of East Asia and the South Africa Union. Though the major power had always been with the Atlantic Federation, it wouldn't be surprising if the Eurasian Federation worked at cross purposes to it – history had always shown those two major nations to work against each other despite being under the same alliance, like in the second war. It was common knowledge that the two nations had always competed against each other. However, unlike the Atlantic Federation, the Eurasian Federation was never highly influenced by Blue Cosmos and did not possess hatred against the Coordinators as the Atlantic Federation always had.

.

Yzak exhaled slowly and leaned back with his eyes closed. He had been awake most of the night, reading the reports of the investigations done on the debris of Maius One and Two. It seemed as though the estimated number of Coordinators who died were inaccurate after all – for the most part, there did not seem to be that many Coordinators in those two sections when the blast happened. It wasn't surprising, considering that Maius was a place for developing mobile suits and ships. Yzak listened to the news as he rested. With the current state of PLANTs and the Earth Alliance, there was simply no way he could leak out the knowledge of the missing mobile suits carelessly. PLANTs would always need to appear strong to be able to defend itself from another war.

A strong aroma filled his nostrils and Yzak opened his eyes in surprise. There, handing a mug of coffee, was none other than Shiho Hahnenfuss. He was surprised she was up and dressed and in his _office_ this early in the morning, but he accepted it nonetheless. "Thanks," Yzak muttered, taking his drink.

"It wouldn't do any good if our General suddenly dies in the attack of his paperwork," Shiho said, hiding her smile.

Yzak snorted, shaking his head slowly. He drained the remaining contents of his coffee and stood up, walking to the television and flicking the channels carelessly. "These people who ask for war are those who don't know the feeling of killing," Yzak said bitterly as he scanned the news. The screen suddenly wavered and when Yzak switched the channels, he found that they were all the same. "What the hell?"

.

"You're on, sir," the worker said, signalling for the man to speak. On Earth, and in PLANTs, they were finally on live. It took years to override all the channels, but they had planned carefully and finally succeeded.

Yuri Amalfi appeared on the screen, his eyes determined as he addressed everyone – Coordinators and Naturals alike. He took strength from the picture of his son that was stored safely in his chest pocket. "Greetings, everyone, from all nations. I would like to apologise firstly for this unexpected and sudden broadcast and by bothering you with these odd hours. However... it cannot be helped. I am sure that every one of you is wondering about the two attacks in Botswana and Maius One and Two, and I am here to provide the answers. We are the RENEGADE, an independent group who speaks for the voice of the public. The ones responsible for the two attacks are us, the RENEGADE."

.

The sound of the mug shattering surprised Cagalli. She looked at the contents of the mug, now on the marble floor along with pieces of glass, and she turned to the shocked Coordinator beside her. "Athrun..?" Cagalli asked, shaking his arm slightly. "What's wrong, Athrun?"

.

"The reactions of those on Earth and in PLANTs are enough to confirm that we are right in our decision to attack those two military bases. Our goal is to eliminate the bridge between Naturals and Coordinators. Instead of constantly living in fear where both sides continuously develop new mobile suits and weapons like they did in Maius One and Two as well as in Botswana, why not stop the connection between us once and for all?" Yuri asked, his arms spread out. "If Naturals and Coordinators can live as separate beings to each other, we will no longer fear an attack from each other. The Coordinators have always been labelled as scary, arrogant, and looked down on Naturals. Yet the Naturals have always been labelled as selfish, ambitious, and looked at Coordinators as an enemy. That is because as long as we are still living together, we have reason to fear one another after constantly going into war. But what if the bridge is gone? What if we will never interact with one another again? If so, there will be no more reason to have fear. There will be no more war."

.

Two palms slammed against the desk and everyone looked at the figure that was already shaking as he listened to Yuri Amalfi's statement. When he raised his eyes, they were gleaming and excited as he laughed silently, then louder and louder until the sounds of his laughs filled the room. Ryuu Apene, the new Blue Cosmos leader, could hardly contain his glee as he laughed. "Finally! Finally! Someone who shares our ideals! Alert everyone! Alert LOGOS! This time, we'll throw that man into the depths of hell on Earth itself!" he said, laughing still, as he took a dart and threw it, the tip landing on the face of Sirne Anfiel's photograph that was stuck on the wall.

.

"I repeat. We, the RENEGADE, an independent group of Naturals and Coordinators, will work towards eliminating the bridge between Naturals and Coordinators for a new world, each of our own worlds, where there will be no more excuse for fear and suffering."

.

"No way..." Yzak trailed off, his body shaking as he took several steps back. Yuri Amalfi, father of Nicol Amalfi, stared at him as his words were repeated over and over among the channels in his office. Yzak bowed his head, his fists clenched. Why? Why did it come to this? Images of Nicol flashed through his mind, from the first day they were assigned to the Le Creuset team till the day of his death. Throughout the time they had been fighting together, he and Dearka had always scoffed at the fifteen-year-old who was never cut out to fight or to become a soldier. Yet, they had fought together for the peace of PLANTs. And when he died, Yzak had made a pledge to keep on fighting in his place, for the sake of PLANTs. He had promised Nicol's mother, along with Athrun and Dearka, that they would continue fighting for peace.

"_Kusooo!_" Yzak shouted, turning and slamming both fists against his desk.

.

Outside Yzak's office, a stunned Dearka was slumped against the wall, his legs giving way as he watched the news on the screen that was hung at the hallway. His fists were clenched, images of the war coming back to him. Images of Miriallia attacking him with a knife, then saving him from being shot by the other red-haired Natural. Was this really it? Was this really the answer? Unable to control himself, Dearka rested his forehead against his knee, his left fist moving unconsciously to slam the wall behind him. _Damn it..._

.

"_I repeat. We, the RENEGADE, an independent group of Naturals and Coordinators, will work towards eliminating the bridge between Naturals and Coordinators for a new world, each of our own worlds, where there will be no more excuse for fear and suffering."_

.

Around the world, the Archangel members watched in shock. Mu, Murrue and Waltfeld had their eyes lowered, their suspicions confirmed while the rest of the crew could no longer react to the news that had reached their ears.

_.  
><em>

"No way..." Shinn whispered quietly, his eyes round. "Then... Orb..." he trailed off, his eyes raised to look at his Gundam again.

.

"_I repeat. We, the RENEGADE, an independent group of Naturals and Coordinators, will work towards eliminating the bridge between Naturals and Coordinators for a new world, each of our own worlds, where there will be no more excuse for fear and suffering."_

_.  
><em>

"It really has come down to this," Lacus said quietly, a tear escaping from her eye.

"Haro! Haro! I won't allow it! I won't allow it!"

.

Around the world, and in the space colonies surrounding Earth, people began to shout as they supported or retaliated the RENEGADE.

.

"_I repeat. We, the RENEGADE, an independent group of Naturals and Coordinators, will work towards eliminating the bridge between Naturals and Coordinators for a new world, each of our own worlds, where there will be no more excuse for fear and suffering."_

_.  
><em>

A reassuring pair of arms hugged him from behind and Yzak raised his head slightly. "Hahnenfuss. What are you doing?" he asked, though his voice shook from the shock of seeing the footage. Shiho said nothing as she tightened her arms. She knew, of course, that the man in front of her was Yuri Amalfi – previous Council member representing Maius City, developer of the N-Jammer Canceller, and father of Yzak's old comrade during the first war. "...You are ordered to never reveal this to anyone outside this room," Yzak muttered.

Shiho smiled slightly. "Yes, sir," she said softly, saying nothing as the silver-haired General began to cry.

.

"Athrun..?" Cagalli crouched in front of the Coordinator who was already crying in front of her. She could see that his left hand was already bleeding from the cut he received from the broken mug. Slowly, Cagalli shifted his long fringe, her voice just as quiet. "What's wrong, Athrun..?"

"That man... He's Nicol's father," Athrun managed, the tears already falling. The world was so ironic.

Cagalli remembered. Nicol was the soldier whom Kira had killed, and in turn, Athrun had latched the Aegis to the Strike, self-destructing it in an attempt to kill the other Coordinator. Cagalli could only just imagine the feeling of betrayal that Athrun would be feeling right now. In a way, Yuri Amalfi had his revenge, for he had killed the person who killed his son. Once upon a time, Athrun and Yuri Amalfi had been on the same boat, both wanting to kill Kira. But now...

"It's okay," Cagalli said quietly. Athrun raised his eyes at her. "We'll figure this out together," she said, hugging him tight.

.

"_I repeat. We, the RENEGADE, an independent group of Naturals and Coordinators, will work towards eliminating the bridge between Naturals and Coordinators for a new world, each of our own worlds, where there will be no more excuse for fear and suffering."_

_.  
><em>

In the abandoned colony of Mendel, located in Lagrange area 4, a scientist with silver hair and eyes sipped his coffee thoughtfully as he watched the repeated statement by the RENEGADE. He sighed and flicked the television off. "It happened sooner than we expected," he murmured to himself, draining the remaining contents in his cup.

"It can't be helped, Daisuke-san," another young Coordinator answered, crossing his arms. This Coordinator had short red hair and black eyes. "I guess the world will really be fighting again now. Hopefully, we'll be safe here," he said, smiling slightly.

"You can't think like that, Ken!" his sister reprimanded him. She was a year younger than the red-haired Coordinator, with long black hair and dark blue eyes. Hikari Sienth moved closer to the two, her lips pursed. "What world will we live in if it's just us three? For sure, I never would want that," she stated, glaring at her brother who raised his hands in defeat before ruffling her hair playfully.

Daisuke stepped forward to stop the fight. "There's still hope," he said quietly. "We still have our trump card to end this war."

A few metres away, in a small room on a single bed, a young Coordinator with brown hair breathed heavily into his oxygen mask, deeply unconscious.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> We're officially in war! The reason why I keep on updating quickly like this is due to me not knowing when and for how long the internet will leave me when I finally move houses. I don't want to give the impression that I'm abandoning this story or something. XD Anyway, as usual, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. A chapter of character and mobile suit information has been given, as promised, but there will be more mobile suits for this story - you can definitely count on that. I'll keep on updating that chapter as we meet more important mobile suits.

My deepest thanks goes to my awesome reviewers! You have no idea how much they motivate me to keep on writing. AngelicFox12, WaaWaa, sugarcarly, PathKeeper, PrincessOfDestiny14, Sleepyreader319 and survivor18 - Thank you! Also thanks to those who favourite-d and alert-ed this story, and to all the dearest readers out there. :D Enjoy! And please let me know what you think!

**AngelicFox12:** Thank you! :D That review really made me smile. I'm really glad you told me that!

**PrincessOfDestiny14:** Fortunately, I don't have the heart to kill our gentle Coordinator. He's alive, as you must've guessed from the end of this chapter. I have a reasonable explanation how he survived that attack, of course, which will hopefully be revealed in the next chapter. In any case, thank you! I'm glad you actually asked whether he died or not. I was afraid that the possibility of his death wasn't realistic enough in the previous chapter. XD


	7. PHASE 06: Wishes and Desires

**PHASE SIX: Wishes and Desires  
><strong>

**C.E 79 South Atlantic Ocean (Seven Days Ago)**

Swords clashed and weapons were fired amidst the rubble of the ruined Maius One and Two. Kira took out his beam cannon, quickly moving and disabling one of the Unknown mobile suits that had been responsible for the nuclear attack just moments ago. Finding that it no longer had the ability to fight, the mobile suit self-destructed itself, surprising the brown-haired Coordinator. Kira clenched his teeth. Above him, he saw Shinn's GOUF battling against two mobile suits. The young pilot was definitely capable, as Kira had personally experienced battling against. Their numbers were small: only Kira, Shinn, Lunamaria, Sierra, Dearka and Shiho had launched and they were facing twenty Unknown mobile suits. In terms of military capabilities, however, they were more than able to handle the fight. Kira had issued an order to take the pilots of the Unknowns alive for questioning if possible, but it did not look like they would give them the chance.

Out of nowhere, a mobile suit charged towards the occupied GOUF, its beam sword aimed at the cockpit. "Shinn, look out!" Kira cried out in surprise. Boosting his thrusters, Kira discarded his railgun and switched to his beam sword, covering Shinn's back just in time as their swords clashed. "You're too far in, Shinn!"

"Sorry. Thank you, Commander. But these guys sure are tough," Shinn cursed as he continued to use his beam gun against the two mobile suits.

The mobile suit Kira was facing suddenly boosted its thrusters and Kira followed. There was no way he was going to let even one of them get away without questioning their motives. Sensing that it was being followed, the mobile suit turned and charged towards the Enigma again, but Kira was ready. With his right hand holding the beam sword, blocking the mobile suit's attack, Kira quickly took out the Armour Schneider stored in his MS's left hip, driving it deep into the mobile suit's shoulder blade. "Stop it! Why are you doing this?" Kira shouted angrily. _So many lives lost..._

Kira hadn't suspected to get an answer, but it was evident that the mobile suit pilot was as furious as he was. "This is for the better good of our world! It's the fault of Coordinators like you that the world is always living in fear! Developing mobile suits and ships in places like this..! Always ready to attack us!"

"What? What are you talking about? We had five years of peace! Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"SHUT UP! _KISAMA_!" The mobile suit charged again and their swords clashed. "What peace are you talking about? Pretending as if you don't know! Naturals and Coordinators are _never_ destined to share their worlds!"

For a moment, Kira was stunned. "What..?"

"We will break the gap between your worlds! Just wait and see. Especially for those damned neutral unions like Orb. They will perish soon."

_Orb..?_ "What are you talking about?"

"HAHAHA! It's too late, boy! Very soon, you will see our power. You will see how those disgraceful countries like Orb and the Kingdom of Scandinavia will perish for claiming themselves to be neutral, allowing Naturals and Coordinators to live together. The attack fleet are on their way as we speak. Orb will perish! Don't underestimate the RENEGADE. We will show that to achieve true peace, Naturals and Coordinators cannot live together!"

His body froze, his eyes wide as the images of Athrun and Cagalli filled his mind. Mu, Murrue, Waltfeld... his mother, Reverend Malchio, the children... Lacus... He had heard of Athrun asking to see Lacus, but that would only mean that Lacus would be going to Orb... No... Orb was going to be attacked? Then... this was just a ruse to keep their eyes blind!

"COMMANDER!" Shinn's voice broke him from his thoughts. The GOUF's right arm slammed against his Enigma and its left hand, equipped with the GOUF's "Tempest" beam sword, fought against the attack from the Unknown mobile suit. With an angry cry, Shinn lashed out with his sword and with two clean cuts, the mobile suit exploded in front of them along with the pilot's last cry of pain. "_KUSO_! What are you _doing_, Commander? I'm not here to save your butt!" Shinn's voice was angry, and rightfully so.

Kira had other things on his mind, his mind racing as he connected the dots. He quickly scanned the area – the fight was still going on, but he had no doubt in the skills of the pilots. In any case, he couldn't stay here. He needed to go back to Orb. The attack on Botswana and Maius One and Two were enough to show that the group had the military capabilities for what they wanted to achieve – and to separate the Naturals and Coordinators once and for all would mean eliminating the neutral nations... eliminating Orb...

"Sorry, Shinn. I'm going back to the ship – stay here under Captain Elsman's orders. Inform the squadron that Captain Ghens will be the commanding officer as second-in-command until I get back," Kira said, surprising the black-haired Coordinator. Boosting his thrusters again, he could just hear Shinn protesting. "It's an order!" Kira called back, moving quickly to his _Aurora_. "Calling Aurora – I'm making an emergency land," Kira said, swiftly landing his Enigma as they opened the shaft. "Get me a booster, quickly!" he commanded.

"What?" Clearly, and unsurprisingly, the order was unexpected.

"I'm sorry. Please do your best. I'm acting as an independent member of the Archangel. This attack is a ruse – the real danger is in Orb," Kira said, noticing that he was receiving static in reply. "Kuso!" Kira switched the communications channels, but all he could get were snippets of questions, and he knew that it was the same with the crew. _Athrun, I'll trust you to figure it out..._The _Aurora_ crew had always been efficient, however, and they quickly equipped him with the booster even without knowing why. An order is an order. Kira signalled with his mobile suit that he was launching again and he watched as the dumbfounded technicians scrambled away.

"Enigma, Kira Yamato's unit, standby for launch. All systems, online. Initiating launch sequence. Enigma, you are cleared for launch!"

"Kira Yamato. Enigma. Launching!"

What happened afterwards was a blur. Kira remembered disconnecting the booster once he got close to the United States of South America, landing his Enigma in the forest near the cliff. He remembered climbing out, Torii following him out from the Enigma. He remembered running to the edge and jumping into the cold waters, swimming effortlessly to the hidden latch where he conducted the retina eye scan. He remembered activating the control panel, climbing into the cockpit of the Strike Freedom, all the time having images of Lacus, Cagalli and Athrun, finally smiling and laughing again after the war, in his mind. Torii had followed him inside the cockpit, but he paused. Kira held his hand out and Torii, faithful as ever, hopped on it. "Sorry, Torii... but I need to leave you here," Kira apologised, smiling slightly. The bird flew away and he descended into the cockpit, activating the system.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

G.U.N.D.A.M Complex

Disconnect plugs. Activate Phase Shift. Boost the thrusters.

They were all simple, natural procedures to someone who had left his Gundam years ago. And, as suspected, as soon as he launched, the Freedom immediately detected enemy signals coming from the direction of the South Atlantic Ocean, with a course directed towards the unsuspecting Orb Union.

.

"_Kuso_!" Kira breathed heavily, his eyes beginning to blur considerably as he shook his head, disabling yet another mobile suit. As he had already predicted, he was caught right in a trap. But it was necessary, in order to protect Orb...

The mobile suits did nothing to hide their identities. The logos of both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT decorated them both, and they had been attacking constantly, their numbers never seeming to decrease. Nobody thought this would happen; it was well beyond anything that had happened before. Silently, Kira cursed himself for not being able to see it coming. Why was mankind capable of something like this? He desperately tried to push away Rau Le Crusset's words that had been spoken years before. It was _not_ futile to try and save the world.

_I can't go on much longer like this..._ Kira thought desperately as his second beam rifle exploded right in front of him, sending the Strike Freedom backwards due to the force of the explosion. _What am I supposed to do?_

It was not an easy battle for ZAFT and the EA, and they, too, were beginning to tire from the endless battle. But though their forces kept on switching, Kira was a lone fighter. He wondered why they hadn't destroyed him yet. Surely, one mobile suit against this many was an easy kill? Why did they allow him to live and fight for so long like this? A small, niggling voice at the back of Kira's mind tried to make sense of the situation – maybe they're not fighting to destroy him, but had another purpose? If so, what?

He took out his last weapon, the double beam sword, and rushed forwards, disabling one mobile suit after another. Even diving into the ocean would be a futile attempt, as there were mobile armours there just waiting to ambush him. It was impossible to run away. They were having fun taunting him. Kira breathed hard, sweat covering his face. A small mistake on his side allowed a ZAFT mobile suit to land a hard blow by the Freedom's side, and while the Gundam was thrown out of control, an EA mobile suit struck from above, cutting the Freedom's right arm easily with its beam saber. The gravity pulled the Freedom towards the ocean, but just before it made contact with the water, Kira pushed the valve and the machine rose again. The alarms sounding in Freedom's cockpit were deafening as multiple warnings were issued. The legs of the Freedom had already been blasted away earlier, and it was only thanks to the hyper-deuterion nuclear reactor in the Strike Freedom that Kira could still move.

_No... Not like this..._ Kira thought desperately as a mobile suit slammed him from behind, throwing him forwards. But he knew even before he entered the battle that this was the last for him. _For Orb... Just to buy them some time. Athrun... protect Cagalli... protect Lacus..._ He had succeeded in destroying as many mobile suits as possible in the long battle. Another mobile suit fired and the last beam sword exploded, sending the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom towards the ocean again, this time front-first. If Kira pushed the valve, it would only thrust him into the ocean where the mobile armours were waiting to destroy him.

It was truly the end of the Strike Freedom. Images of Lacus, Cagalli and Athrun entered his mind again. Especially Lacus... That kind, strong person who had always been there for him since the very start... He had never truly told her how much he loved her. He had never truly mentioned his desire to build a family with her. _No... Not yet... Not like this... Not yet..!_

Instinctively, Kira pulled out the Freedom's keyboard, quickly activating the control panel to the Strike Freedom's OS. He scanned the commands there, his fingers moving fast as he moved closer and closer to the surface of the ocean. _Initiate auto-pilot system. Set course for Aprilius Four in PLANTs. Disable weapons system. Nuclear energy and power flow nominal. Reroute all power to thrusters. Set Variable Phase-Shift on minimum. Systems, all green. Strike Freedom, system optimized._

Kira boosted the thrusters and the Freedom sped into the water just before the moment of impact, sending up a huge display of water. _5 metres... 10 metres... 15 metres... 20 metres... come on..._ Kira urged the Freedom onwards as he delved deeper, and sure enough, he was pursued by mobile armours seconds after. The Strike Freedom's radar showed more heat signals approaching – clearly, they weren't going to let him get away easily, and even so, he did not have anywhere to go. Two of the mobile suits locked onto him and released four underwater missiles. Bracing himself, Kira gritted his teeth and as soon as the missiles hit him, he ejected from the Strike Freedom, at the same time activating the autopilot. The DRAGOONs at the back of the Strike Freedom exploded upon impact, and for a moment, the screens of the mobile armours were blinded by the force of the explosion and display of bubbles.

The Strike Freedom turned sharply and headed straight towards the surface at full-speed, exploding from the water's surface as it ascended towards the sky. The force of the water shocked the mobile suits at first, but it was apparent that the Strike Freedom had nowhere to go. A couple of mobile suits were ready – one from ZAFT and another from the EA. The EA mobile suit slammed its leg at full-force against the Freedom's cockpit, and as the Freedom flew out of control, a ZAFT mobile suit sliced the Gundam cleanly from the top with its beam sword. Kira could vaguely make out the outline of two halves of the Freedom getting closer to the water's surface, then exploding before it hit the water. The force threw the brown-haired Coordinator back and the last image Kira could make out was a mobile armour moving towards the remaining parts of the Strike Freedom, its back towards Kira, and he could remember no more.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs (Present Day)<strong>

"I propose that we conform to RENEGADE's ideals! PLANTs is populated by Coordinators anyway, and the Earth Alliance has constantly demanded our resources for the energy crisis they faced on Earth!"

"I agree! The Botswana base was attacked by terrorists and they still blamed ZAFT!"

"They're good-for-nothings, those Naturals. Cutting off our ties with them will definitely ensure peace for PLANTs. If needed, we can always move our colony away from Earth's orbit and settle somewhere else in our Solar System! They have insulted us long enough!"

"For a world of Coordinators!"

The Council was energetic, with the representatives holding radical views shouting their opinions on the RENEGADE's proposal that had been aired five hours ago. Lacus's brows pulled together as she bit her lips, listening to their arguments. Though RENEGADE had admitted to the events in Botswana and Maius, they did not mention anything about the attack on Strike Freedom which had involved forces from both ZAFT and the EA. Lacus had no doubt that the attack on the Freedom was also orchestrated by the RENEGADE, but revealing that truth would also reveal to the public on ZAFT and EA's disloyalties to their governments – a real coup d'état might take place, involving the public who would see the government as being weak. Revealing the truth about the Freedom would also show the world that the Archangel crew no longer has the Freedom to fight its battles. With the world on an uproar to split the Naturals and Coordinators once and for all, revealing _that_ truth could have a very deadly effect.

Lacus clenched her fists slightly, frowning at the energetic Coordinators. Only a small handful were hesitating, still trying to maintain a neutral ground. With people's hearts angered by their losses and their fears from the previous wars, Lacus couldn't truly blame them for their reactions. Shaking her head, Lacus stood, turning her azure eyes on the eleven members in front of her. "Everyone. Please calm down," she said sternly, immediately gaining the attention of the Council. "ZAFT and PLANTs must not support this group. All it will do is bring more endless fighting. RENEGADE has already claimed responsibility on the attack of Maius One and Two. It was not the Earth, or the Naturals. So isn't that more of a reason on why we should oppose them?"

"Lacus-sama does not seem to understand the situation," one of the Council members answered, looking up at her. "We are not asking for war with the Naturals. We are asking for independence. Independence from those Naturals who do nothing but bring us down and take advantage of us!" he said, receiving cries of agreement from many others.

The provisional Chairwoman shook her head. "Orb and the rest of the neutral territories have already declared that they reject the ideals of RENEGADE. So, will you _force_ them to accept RENEGADE's ideals?" she asked. "Our goal is always to obtain peace. We cannot achieve it by force."

"I believe Lacus-sama's opinion is one-sided due to her strong ties with that neutral country," another Council member said coldly, leaning back. "Lacus-sama must think for the best interests of PLANTs, not for the best interests of Orb. What is peace when you're constantly frightened of an attack? What is peace when all we get are demands from the Naturals? Without having the responsibility to think _for_ the Naturals, we Coordinators can move freely towards building a better nation!"

"No!" Lacus insisted, her fists clenched tighter. "The infertility rates of our Coordinators have increased with the third-generation. We still have not found a cure. What might happen to us if we cut our ties with those on Earth?" she questioned, and for once, the Council was silenced. "Do you really want a world where we disregard each other? Without an alliance with Earth, do you really believe the minds of the people will be more at peace?" Lacus asked sternly, refusing to give way.

Two hours later, the songstress exited the room of the council meeting and spotted Yzak standing loyally as he waited for her. She smiled slightly at the familiar figure, her personal advisor, and together, they walked to her private room in the Supreme Council Building. For now, Lacus had succeeded in persuading the Council members to reject RENEGADE's ideals, but silently, she wondered how long that would last. The path of avoiding conflict and war was always the hardest path to take, after all.

"I can see why the RENEGADE's ideals are appealing," Yzak said suddenly as they entered Lacus's room. He shut the door behind her and watched as she sat down, her face thoughtful and questioning. "RENEGADE promises independence. Freedom. If both sides truly disregard each other, then it's highly possible that we would no longer develop mobile suits or put our soldiers on stand-by for possible threats," he said slowly, moving to stand by her table. "But that can only last if both sides stay true to their word."

Lacus shook her head slowly. "We cannot let it happen. Naturals and Coordinators... in the end, we're still human beings," she said, surprising the silver-haired General. "This 'fight for independence' started with an attack on both sides. We are not compromising – we are being forced into it," she said, her brows pulling together as she frowned. "No happiness can truly be found if there are people who are betrayed or forced in the process."

"Then... I wonder what path is the right one to take," Yzak said quietly, his blue eyes cast away. How could one truly ensure a world where everyone is happy?

The songstress sighed. "Everyone is so consumed by their hatred... Will the day never come for us to forget our anger towards one other..?"

Three hours later, Sirne Anfiel and Lacus Clyne released a joint statement rejecting the ideals of RENEGADE. On the surface, it seemed as if the world had turned back to normal, but there would always be individuals who oppose...

"_They chose wrong to go against us."_

"_We'll just need to show them that they're wrong, then."_

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day)<strong>

In Cagalli's study in the Parliament House of Orb, Athrun and Cagalli watched the television screen quietly, listening to both Lacus Clyne and Sirne Anfiel's declarations against the ideals of RENEGADE. It wasn't truly surprising that they both managed to keep the EA and ZAFT from officially joining the RENEGADE, but Athrun couldn't help but feel sceptical towards the effectiveness of the declaration. Both armies had already fought against the Strike Freedom beforehand after all, and even if that did not include _all_ the army personnel, it still was more than enough to engage the Freedom in an approximate ten-hour battle. That was merely a warning. Athrun couldn't begin to imagine what forces they would meet in a real battle.

Dark thoughts entered his mind as he thought back to his father's radical views seven years ago. Even after two years, his views were still held high by a number of Coordinators and Athrun highly doubted that those views had died with the Second Bloody Valentine War five years ago. Athrun believed that, like the Blue Cosmos, the loyal followers of Chairman Zala were never completely gone. He clenched his fists tightly as the image of Yuri Amalfi was played in his mind again. Yuri Amalfi had held the position as one of ZAFT's Council members at the same time his father became the Chairman after replacing Siegel Clyne. His heart longed to head to PLANTs and find the man, but he knew that for now, it was impossible.

"I wonder what's going to happen to the world now..." Cagalli said suddenly, breaking Athrun's thoughts. "Honestly, I don't think RENEGADE will leave things like this."

Athrun was about to respond when a knock on the door made them both look up in surprise. Cagalli gave her permission and the door opened, revealing Kisaka and Armagi. Athrun immediately stood to salute the two and Cagalli brightened considerably with their arrival.

After the Second Bloody Valentine War five years ago, Kisaka and Armagi were honoured as loyal soldiers of Orb and were thus promoted as Admirals as Athrun had. Due to Kisaka serving in Orb longer than the other two, he was given the position as the Fleet Admiral of Orb, while Athrun received the position as an Admiral. Armagi, who had joined the Archangel with the remaining fleet of the sunken Takemikazuchi, was then promoted as the Vice Admiral of Orb. The three personnel had played large roles in the development of Orb, and having them all here was reassuring to the young Representative.

Kisaka glanced at the television screen, shaking his head slightly at the news. "It never ends, does it? People's hatred to one another," he said, watching the protestors gathering as they opposed the steps taken by both Lacus Clyne and Sirne Anfiel.

Athrun shrugged, smiling slightly. "It can't be helped. The people are scared of each other," he said slowly. "In any case, is everything alright?"

"All clear," Kisaka nodded. "The Murasame training has been improving a lot," he said approvingly. Athrun began to mutter about him not doing anything, but Kisaka waved it away. "I've seen you at it, Athrun. You're doing a good job."

"Er... No... Uh... Thank you..." Athrun stammered. Cagalli bit her lips as she watched him, trying hard not to laugh. He was never good with compliments.

Kisaka smiled and patted the blue-haired Coordinator's back. "In any case, Commander Waltfeld has left Orb," he informed, suddenly remembering the reason he had come.

Cagalli and Athrun were surprised. "He left? When? Where?" Cagalli asked. It seemed like the unlikeliest time for the Commander to leave the Archangel.

"PLANTs," Kisaka answered and Athrun nodded in understanding. "He's worried about her," he said, nodding to the figure of Lacus Clyne on the television screen.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Area 4 (Present Day)<strong>

_Hazy images clouded his mind. He was aware of the sluggish feeling of one who was being drugged. Images of him shuddering awake from time to time, struggling to move and crying out in pain followed by gentle hushes and a wet cloth pressing on his hot forehead before going back into the darkness... Images of his old friend smiling at him, handing a green mechanical bird that he had left behind... Images of his sister hugging him when she found him crying... Images of Lacus who gave him a new sword... Athrun... Torii... Cagalli... Orb... Lacus... Strike Freedom... The battle..._

Kira awoke with a jolt, and he gasped for breath. An excruciating pain shot up from his right side and he groaned, his hand instinctively moving to press the bandaged wound. Wait... bandaged? What happened? Kira blinked several times and looked around, his eyes adjusting to the painful brightness of the room. It looked like an infirmary and Kira was vaguely aware of the beeping of the monitors that was connected to him. He took off his oxygen mask – the room was empty.

It took him a while to remember what had happened. The battle in the South Atlantic Ocean... Ejecting from the Strike Freedom... Watching as the machine piloted itself to the surface of the water... The attack... The two halves of the Strike Freedom falling and exploding... and then nothing. Kira held his head. At least he still had his memories... At least he was still alive. With his right hand, he struggled to push himself into a sitting position, his body feeling incredibly stiff.

"Kira! Don't!" an unfamiliar female voice reached his ears. Kira's muscles gave way underneath him and he fell back into the arms of guy his age, with short, dark red hair and black eyes. "Careful," he said, repositioning the brown-haired Coordinator so Kira could lie down comfortably. Kira turned his eyes back towards the girl who had cried out earlier as she fussed over him. He could see a resemblance between her and the other, though she had long black hair and blue eyes.

"You... Who are you?" Kira asked, confused. Too many questions were running through his mind.

"Don't worry, we mean you no harm," the red-haired said, a smile tugging at his lips. "My name is Ken Sienth. This is my sister, Hikari. You are in the deep areas of the abandoned Mendel Colony. We found you at the shore in the United States of South America. You were wearing a ZAFT pilot suit, which was probably what kept you alive in the shores."

"Um..." Kira trailed off, his mind racing. "ZAFT? That is... I was –"

"You don't need to make excuses," another voice greeted them, this time a man's. Kira's eyes turned to the newcomer as he approached the bed. The man was tall, with silver hair and eyes. His hair was shoulder-length and he looked at the other Coordinator curiously. "For starters, we are all Coordinators. But that shouldn't matter. Your identity is safe with us," he said truthfully. "My name is Daisuke Shen. It's been a while... Kira Hibiki."

Kira's eyes widened, unable to respond. _This man..._

Daisuke laughed. "Don't feel guilty if you don't remember me, Kira. We were more closely acquainted with each other when you were in Dr. Ulen Hibiki's artificial womb," he said, grinning at the dumbfounded Coordinator. "I was a scientist in these labs, and a close friend and supporter of your father and mother," he explained quietly. "Normally, in a situation like this, I would be asking how your sister is doing, but I suppose you wouldn't know. So let me reassure you that Cagalli, and Orb, is fine."

_This man is dangerous..._ Kira thought suddenly. He knew too much... But it did not seem as if he wanted to be an enemy. If so, he would probably have taken the advantage of killing Kira while he had the chance. _So... why..?_

"I can see you don't trust me," Daisuke said, reading Kira's thoughts. "And I am glad you don't – it's the sign of a fast intellectual. But I guess I can only give you my word that I mean you no harm. These two," he said, gesturing at Ken and Hikari, "are my companions here. There are only three of us. Ken and Hikari lost their parents almost at the same time you lost yours. Their parents, too, were involved with Ulen Hibiki's research."

"I'm sorry," Kira said sincerely. "There's so much I still don't understand."

"Don't worry," Ken answered, crossing his arms. "We still have time."

"For now though, you need to rest," Daisuke said, patting Kira on the shoulder. "We'll continue when you're stronger," he said gently. His eyes were unreadable, an odd expression that Kira couldn't fathom. But Kira was already drifting away in the world of darkness and could only mumble his thanks as he felt a pair of gentle hands cover him again.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs (Present Day)<strong>

It was night-time in Aprillius Four. A few metres outside Lacus Clyne's mansion, a sleek black car was parked, almost invisible in the depths of the shadows of the trees that surrounded it. Unknown to the songstress, a few other cars were also stationed around the mansion, keeping watch of any movements inside, but there was none. All was quiet. Inside the sleek car, a blonde Coordinator yawned and stretched, rubbing his violet eyes tiredly. He had signed up to become a soldier in ZAFT for many things, but losing sleep and not being paid for it was charity work, and he didn't like it.

"Yzak. Tell me again why we're out here for the third night in a row?" he yawned again, casting his eyes on the silver-haired General who was sitting on the front seat.

"Shut up, _kisama_!" Yzak snapped at him. "With the current situation being as it is, it's not safe to leave Lacus alone. And hell knows, she's been persuaded enough times already to move to a safer place, but refused," he said angrily, his voice quiet but still holding the contempt at the carefree, pink-haired _princess_. Lacus might not worry about assassins or intruders, but Yzak surely was. There was no way he would let a person be murdered in cold blood under _his_ watch, that was for sure. If anyone could stop the war from happening, it was Lacus. That alone was a good enough reason for Yzak to station himself outside her house for the time being.

Dearka yawned again. "Situation..? What situation..?" he asked, his eyes closing. He was truly, truly tired. The workload they were facing was high enough already without this extra work. If there was one quality of Yzak's that Dearka absolutely hated, at least right now, it was the fact that the General had a thing for doing things his own way without relying on others.

"I think even informing him of our objectives and grounds will do him no good in his current condition," Shiho said as-a-matter-of-factly, glancing at the half-sleeping Coordinator from the rear-view mirror.

"I _know_ that," Yzak snapped. His patience was running thin with both of them.

A figure moving swiftly through the mansion grounds suddenly caught Yzak's eye. He nudged Dearka awake and nodded to Shiho who had also spotted the shadow. Dearka was about to complain, but the look in Yzak's eyes meant trouble. The sleep now gone from his eyes, he took out his gun carefully and watched. For a few minutes, the place was silent, but then the shadow moved again. They could only spot one. "He's in our territory. Let's go," Yzak commanded, sliding out from the car quietly, followed closely by Shiho and Dearka. At Yzak's signal, they moved away as they tried to corner the stranger. Yzak approached the figure, and just a few arm's length from it, he raised his gun, his vision clear enough to see that the figure did the same. "Don't move! Show yourself!" they shouted at each other.

"I won't allow it! I won't allow it!"

"Haro! Haro!"

"Lacus-sama! I won't allow it!"

"No way! Haro! Haro!"

"What the..? Haro!"

Yzak jumped slightly as the multi-coloured Haro's began to ambush them. The noise they made was absolutely astounding – alerted, the rest of his squadron moved and flicked on their torches, revealing Yzak and Waltfeld surrounded by over-protective Haro's that continued to attack them by bumping their round bodies against the two. For a moment, Yzak suddenly knew why Lacus did not seem at all worried about staying alone in the large mansion.

"Ara ara... What's going on? Everyone! You can stop that now. Pink-chan, you can leave them now," Lacus appeared at the second floor balcony, looking down. The pink-coloured Haro responded with an excited "You too! You too!" before leading the other Haro's away. Lacus had a white and pink dressing gown draped on and she looked confusedly at the scene before her, her eyes then widening at the familiar and unexpected figure. "Waltfeld-san! Yzak! What are you doing there?" Lacus asked, her eyebrows raised.

Watlfeld looked up at her and raised his hand in greeting. "Yo! I came here for a visit, Lacus," he shrugged, then turning to Yzak. "Didn't expect to see you here. I thought you were trouble. Long time no see, Yzak Joule," he greeted the General who couldn't help but snort in reply. _Kisama... When I see him again, I'm gonna take that Duel and use it to personally mutilate him,_ Yzak thought angrily, the image of one particular blue-haired Coordinator coming to mind.

Flustered, annoyed, humiliated, Yzak turned to his squadron and told them that everything was under control now and they no longer needed to keep watch. Quite a number of them, including Dearka, were delighted that they could finally return home and get some sleep. Yzak thanked them for their hard work and watched them leave, leaving him alone with Waltfeld. The door to Lacus's house opened and the songstress beckoned for them to come inside. Yzak followed, settling himself on a comfortable chair in the living room and turned his eyes on Waltfeld.

"So... What can I do for you, Waltfeld-san?" Lacus asked.

Waltfeld shrugged. "Orb has been getting crowded, so I thought you might enjoy some company here," he said simply. Waltfeld looked around – the house was truly quiet, and he knew that she must be feeling very lonely without that brown-haired Coordinator around. "Lacus," Waltfeld began, "I came because I was worried. ZAFT and the Earth Alliance might have said that they do not support the RENEGADE, but I doubt that RENEGADE will back out just like that. In any case, it is dangerous for you here."

Lacus sighed slightly. "I know," she said, turning her eyes away. "But it can't be helped until we continue to see what else might happen. Even in PLANTs, it's impossible to monitor everything. Some colonies are beginning to separate from one another, after RENEGADE's announcement," she said sadly.

"In any case, I'm staying here with you," Waltfeld stated, his voice holding such a high degree of authority that Lacus knew there was no way she could argue.

"I see. Thank you..." she smiled.

Lacus followed Yzak to the door half an hour later, the gentle smile never leaving her lips. Yzak told her to take care and turned to leave, but she called his name again and he glanced back at her. "You were worried, weren't you?" Lacus asked knowingly. "Thank you."

He couldn't help but blush slightly upon seeing her expression. Muttering something about not needing to worry about it, Yzak left her by the door, unaware of how grateful she really felt that there were still people looking out for her. Deep in his heart, Yzak cursed himself for not being able to do anything apart from this – once again, they were playing the waiting game with RENEGADE, and he absolutely hated that.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

A tall figure with bronze hair and eyes stared at the floor in the Archangel quarters. He pictured the last time he had been here – seven years ago, during the First Bloody Valentine War, along with his close friends who were all civilians that were somehow caught up in the war for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. How his life had changed since then, and after the war, he had distanced himself from any thoughts of battles and mobile suits all his life. Yet... here he was, once again. He wanted to ask himself why, but perhaps he was a soldier at heart after all. He was the first to join the Earth Alliance among his friends during the first war in any case; a decision that surprised his friends, but led them all to join as well.

"Sai..?" a familiar voice made him look up. Miriallia was standing at the door, her aqua eyes gentle. "May I come in?"

"Uh... sure... Come in, Miri," Sai answered, surprised that she was there. Miriallia had always been the one with the kindest hearts among their group, apart from Kira. He watched as she walked over to sit beside him. She had grown since seven years ago – she was taller, and had a calm and mature look with a gentle face that would make anyone feel drawn to her.

"Long time no see, Sai..."

"Seven years..." Sai answered, bowing his head slightly. He had kept away from his friends, from anything that reminded him of the war and Fllay. Even during the Second Bloody Valentine War, he had distanced himself even though he still heard the news on how the Archangel, once again, fought to protect the world with the Freedom.

"How are you, Sai? What have you been doing with yourself all these years?" Miriallia asked brightly.

_Typical Miri..._ "I'm fine. After the first war, I continued my studies in the Kingdom of Scandinavia in computer science. Actually, I studied a lot there... about many things. I completed my studies a few weeks ago and wanted to look for a job... but somehow, I found myself here," Sai said lightly, laughing slightly despite himself. "Guess I'm tied to this ship, huh?"

Miriallia shrugged. "How did you find out about the Archangel?"

"It was pure coincidence," Sai said truthfully. "I came to Orb two days ago... and I bumped into Kuzzey. We exchanged news and he told me about the Archangel after bumping into Commander Flaga. We decided to come," he said, turning his eyes away.

"Kuzzey? I see... That's why he's here. He sometimes came to visit us in Orb at Commander Flaga's house after the second war," Miriallia said, shaking her head again. "I didn't expect him to return to the Archangel."

Sai smiled slightly. "I think after you participate in war, it's hard to stay and watch while others suffer..." he trailed off.

Miriallia nodded. She herself knew how that felt.

"Actually, I came to find Kira," Sai said suddenly. "It's been so long since I've seen any of you guys, and I didn't know where to start. I heard about Lacus Clyne being the Chairman of ZAFT, and I recognised that guy who is now the Admiral of Orb – Athrun Zala. Orb was nearer, so I came here," he explained, clenching his fists slightly. "Actually, I was angry with myself throughout these seven years. What happened between me, Kira and Fllay... I didn't want to leave without settling it with him. Fllay was... scared, insecure... she didn't know what to do or who to trust, and she was always crying. But Kira... Kira was... kind, strong... he always tried his best to protect us, but we never saw that. I could only begin to imagine what he went through during that war. I resented him, but after I saw him try to save Fllay before she was killed, I..." Sai bowed his head.

"But..." Miriallia trailed off, gaining his attention again. "But Kira knew that," she said quietly.

Sai nodded. "I know he did. Kira... had always understood. I was the one who never realised that he had been a victim of the war, too..." Sai said, smiling slightly. "He was kind, but he was also a Coordinator. I never thought that the war might affect him like it did with us. I've been such an idiot," he said, his shoulders shaking as he tried to contain his emotions. "I came to find him, to talk to him... I don't know what I want to say to him, but..."

"Kira would understand," Miriallia said sadly, the tears forming. "I think even if you didn't say anything, he would have understood and wouldn't hold anything against you. I can't believe that he..." she trailed off, unable to accept the fact.

"I want to fight again, Miri," Sai said, turning his eyes on her. "I already spoke to Captain Ramius, and she gladly accepted. Guess the Archangel is always going to be an undermanned ship, huh?" Sai commented and they both laughed slightly at that. He turned his gaze to the floor again. "I missed you guys... all of you. And I'm sorry for distancing myself like I did, even when I knew the Archangel was fighting during the second war. I... want us to be friends like we were before this again," he said, finally realising that that was what he had wanted to say to Kira all along. To say sorry for leaving, for not being the friend he was supposed to be... and to ask for friendship again.

He was surprised when Miriallia hit him lightly on his shoulder. "Idiot. You're always our friend, Sai. Always," she said sternly, and he realised she was crying, her shoulders heaving. Sai bit his lips, the images of them together at Heliopolis coming back to him. Those were the happiest days, but one by one, they began to lose their comrades... Tolle... Fllay... Kira...

Sai held Miriallia's shoulders, holding back his tears as they grieved for their lost friend.

Outside the room, a blue-haired Coordinator stood, his eyes cast away. Athrun hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but somehow, something made him stay and listen to the conversation. He turned and walked away until he reached the side of the ship and sat down, sighing to himself. Torii landed on his lap and hopped around, gaining his attention. For a while, Athrun merely looked at it as it tried to distract him from his thoughts. Unconsciously, the Admiral of Orb raised his hand and looked at his palm. _There's no point in continuing like this_, Athrun thought, his brows pulling together.

Briefly, he remembered when he had followed Kira into the Requiem at the end of the Second Bloody Valentine War. He had watched and listened as Kira pointed his gun at Gilbert Durandal and told the Chairman that they wanted a future and not an unchanging world. When Durandal asked what Kira would do when the world turned chaotic again, the other Coordinator determinedly said that that he was prepared for it... and that he would fight.

Athrun clenched his fist tightly. Instead of grieving for something he wasn't sure of, he decided to have faith. Kira was out there. Athrun refused to believe that the brown-haired Coordinator had left them. Kira wouldn't allow himself to do so. He _must_ have survived. And Athrun would fight until they could battle with each other again, side by side.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Area 4 (Present Day)<strong>

_A voice... I know this voice..._ Kira struggled to break through the haziness clouding his mind, turning his head a few times. _A woman... No... Not just a woman... Lacus... This is Lacus's voice... and... Cagalli..?  
><em>

Kira opened his eyes slowly. There was no mistaking Lacus's voice - stern, authoritative and commanding. Kira blinked and noticed that Daisuke's back was facing him. He was watching a large screen, split into four sections, showing Lacus, Cagalli, a man whom Kira recognised as Sirne Anfiel, Earth Alliance's Secretary-General, and what seemed to be a massive crowd holding up signs of "Support RENEGADE". As he listened, he realised that the other three were making statements claiming that they were rejecting the ideals of RENEGADE. Kira's brows pulled together. _Renegade_... Where had he heard that before..?

_"Don't underestimate the RENEGADE. We will show that to achieve true peace, Naturals and Coordinators cannot live together!"_

"RENEGADE?" Kira gasped as understanding came over him. Daisuke turned in surprise, his eyebrows raised as he watched the brown-haired Coordinator. Kira pushed himself into a sitting position, his eyes on the screen. "That is..."

"PLANTs, Orb and the Earth Alliance declaring that they are against RENEGADE," Daisuke said, moving to sit beside Kira. "I think you already know that RENEGADE was the one responsible for the attack on Maius, and for doing this to you," he said, gesturing to Kira's bandaged body. "They're also responsible for the attack on Botswana. This was shown on all channels in the world two days ago," Daisuke said, tapping into his mobile device. The images of the screen changed, showing one man who began to speak. It was the recording of RENEGADE's declaration.

Kira listened, his eyes widening. "No way..." he whispered, clenching his fists.

Once the declaration was over, Daisuke turned the screen off. "That man is Yuri Amalfi. Once a Council member for PLANTs, also the developer of the N-Jammer Canceller. But anyway... I suppose I need to apologise to you first. It wasn't my intention to drug you, but you were very restless," he said, smiling slightly. "It's nine days since you went down with the Freedom. We kept you drugged for a week," he admitted, leaning back. "...I admire the courage of your sister, Cagalli... and ZAFT's provisional Chairwoman, Lacus Clyne, whom I know is closely acquainted with you since the previous wars. My intelligence told me that Lacus Clyne and her advisor went to Orb to meet Cagalli when you fought. We have reason to believe that they were shown the footage of the Freedom being destroyed - a group of Murasames went looking for you the day after and returned back to Orb when they found the evidence of the battle," he informed.

_Athrun... It must be..._

"I need to return," Kira said, struggling to stand.

Daisuke placed his hand on Kira's shoulder, forcing him back down. "You will go," he promised sincerely, "but not now."

Kira clenched his teeth. In his condition, he doubted he would go anywhere for a while. Something Daisuke said earlier caught his attention suddenly. _He said his intelligence... _"Who are you?" Kira asked curiously. How could this man gain so much information?

"I am Daisuke Shen," he answered, running a hand through his silver hair. "But I guess that itself isn't a satisfying answer, is it? I work hand-in-hand with Terminal," he explained.

"Why..." Kira trailed off, wondering if he should ask. Daisuke's eyes were questioning. "Why did you save me? Why help someone you don't know?"

"Why indeed..." Daisuke said quietly. "Maybe I just want a reason to believe this can end," he sighed.

"What do you mean?"

The man smiled. "Your second question is incorrect, if I may say so. I know who Kira Hibiki is. But if you ask me why I saved you, maybe it's because you're the Ultimate Coordinator," he answered. Kira tensed and shrank back slightly. "Kira... Do you know the reason why we Coordinators exist? Or, more accurately, the reason why we were given the name 'Coordinators'?" he asked. Kira didn't answer. "Coordinators are a bridge between humankind and the future. We are responsible - or rather, we are truly created - in order to bring humanity to its fullest potential. But why do you think that doesn't happen..?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

Kira looked away. "Not all Coordinators are kind to Naturals. And not all Naturals are accepting of Coordinators," he said slowly.

"And yet, in places where the two can work together, they are better than the rest," Daisuke pointed out. Kira looked up, confused. "Orb is such a place. A small nation, just an island after the destruction of Heliopolis. Yet, it has never been taken down against its will. That is the power when Coordinators and Naturals work together. And ironically, that is what RENEGADE found out," Daisuke mused.

"RENEGADE..?"

Daisuke nodded. "RENEGADE's ideals are not new to us. It has been voiced out numerous times by the late Chairman Zala as well as Blue Cosmos. But it never worked because they were both working alone. But RENEGADE... That group is a coalition of both Coordinators and Naturals, working towards the same direction. Though they're not looking at total annihilation, it's ironic that when they finally work together, it's to separate one another," he laughed darkly. "Your father, Ulen... was an ambitious man. He was clever, with a great sense of justice and wished for a peaceful world, even though his ambition eventually consumed him. But he wanted the right thing. He wanted a true Coordinator, the real bridge between humanity and the bright future."

"But... I'm not," Kira protested, his fists clenched tight. "I'm a normal human being."

"So am I, but I'm still a Coordinator," Daisuke answered, surprising the other. "Your mother... Via Hibiki. She wanted happiness more than anything else. Happiness for everyone," he said, looking away. Kira could sense a strange emotion in the other man. "She was kind... a crybaby... she knew what she wanted, yet she did not know the means to get it. Your father, on the other hand, had a goal to reach. Both wanted the same thing, but it was your father who believed he knew the way. And that way was to produce you, the Ultimate Coordinator: The bridge between Naturals and Coordinators, so we can finally work together for a better world. I think your father's determination was what made your mother love him, until she found out that you were taken from her womb... her own child, destined to be the Ultimate Coordinator. She became frightened for you - the life of an Ultimate Coordinator would be difficult, and she did not want that for her own child."

Kira looked down, his knuckles white from clenching them too hard. He tried desperately to block Daisuke's words out, but he couldn't - a part of him _wanted_ to listen, wanted to understand... "That is another problem with humanity," Daisuke laughed slightly. "We wish for a good world, for a better future, but we never want to be the person to reach out to it. 'Let someone else do it', 'Let this person handle it', 'I'll just support this person and hope it'll work'... In Via's case, she didn't want the Ultimate Coordinator to be you, her child, fearing it would not bring _you_ happiness."

"Stop it!" Kira cried out suddenly, glaring at the other man. "I am... _not_ all those things!"

Daisuke smiled sadly and stood. "Have you heard of Nature vs Nurture, Kira? It is an old debate that has never found an answer - a debate asking whether we are defined by our genes or by how we are brought up by our parents. I always preferred the Nurture side of the argument. If I look at life from that side, then all human beings are capable of being Coordinators, in the truest sense," he said, putting a hand on Kira's shoulder. "With the gifts you have gained from your father, and the gentleness you received from your mother... I would like to think that you _are_ all those things," he said, walking away. Daisuke paused before he exited the room and looked back at Kira. "You look like Via... The same hair, the same eyes - the same expressions and humbleness. Will you hate me if I tell you I've always loved her?" he asked.

When Kira looked up, surprised, Daisuke was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Right, to clear up a few things that might be confusing:

1) Orb's ranking system is similar to that used by the Earth Alliance, but apparently, they're more prone to using naval terms. An Admiral like Athrun is typically the highest ranking officer, but there are situations whereby a Fleet Admiral is called for, and this is Kisaka. A Fleet Admiral is of a higher position compared to an Admiral. A Vice-Admiral, on the other hand, is lower than an Admiral, and this is Armagi. There's another rank called the Rear Admiral, which is the lowest position of an Admiral. Below the Rear Admiral is the Captain/Colonel ("Taisho").

2) "Terminal", according to Gundam Wiki, is a non-governmental organization that shares information with all parties and it is also a group that does intelligence work. It's spear-headed by the Clyne Faction and it's also a neutral organization whose objectives are merely to give information - it's usually how the Archangel knows the happenings in the world.

3) Officially, the location of Lacus's house in PLANTs is unknown (either that, or I couldn't find it -.-"). I assumed that it is in Aprillius though because when Siegel Clyne became the Chairman of ZAFT, he represented Aprillius city - Aprillius One is also where the Supreme Council Building is located. So I randomly pulled out Aprillius Four as the location to her house - yet if any of you know the actual location, please let me know.

4) DRAGOONs are those moveable wings of the Strike Freedom's that can fly and shoot on its own. In GSD, the Strike Freedom never uses the DRAGOON system on Earth, so canonically, it is assumed that it cannot operate within Earth's atmosphere. Which is why it was still connected to the Freedom when the underwater missiles hit Kira.

5) Just to refresh our memories: Kuzzey Buskirk was one of Kira's friends from Heliopolis who joined the Archangel in Gundam SEED. But after witnessing a few battles, he eventually decided that he no longer wanted to stay, and what happened to him afterwards was never truly revealed. It's a similar case with Sai, who was neither seen nor mentioned in Gundam SEED Destiny.

Anyway, thank you for the reviews, and for still reading with me! :D It's really highly appreciated. Thanks to my reviewers: PathKeeper, PrincessOfDestiny14, hakuMeyen, WaaWaa, sugarcarly, AngelicFox12, nxkris and San17! Also thanks to those who favourite-d, alert-ed, and read the fic, as usual. If there's any confusing information, don't hesitate to ask. As usual, I hope you enjoyed this chapter - please let me know!

* * *

><p><strong>hakuMeyen:<strong> Not at all, I'm very happy you're still reading! :D Unfortunately, Miriallia is with the Archangel and Dearka is with ZAFT. T.T It's a shame because I love this pairing, yet they're difficult to write. Though they are fighting for the same thing, it's difficult to get those two parties to work together, so they're always separated. I'm trying to work out a situation where I can get them to meet, so let's hope it works!

**WaaWaa:** I'm so sorry I didn't explain that! D: KIA is a military term that means "Killed In Action". MIA, on the other hand, stands for "Missing In Action" - people use MIA when they don't know whether the soldier is alive or not. Officially, the soldier is listed as "Missing", but in the military, it just means "dead but unable to prove it".

**AngelicFox12:** I agree that the last chapter was a tough one - both to write, understand, and apparently read. XD But I suppose it's because it's the turning point of the story. In any case, I'm glad you can still follow me! :D

**nxkris:** Thank you! I'm glad you like the story! Kira will return for sure, don't worry about that. :D He has a war to fight, after all. XD

**San17:** Thanks for your review! :D I promise you, Kira and Athrun will be the main characters throughout the story - Kira especially. The OCs I use are merely side-characters to move the plot. :3 I'm glad you enjoyed it so far! :D


	8. PHASE 07: The War Begins

**PHASE SEVEN: The War Begins**

**C.E 79 Orb Union – Archangel (Present Day)**

Athrun did not notice at what time he had fallen asleep. He remembered sitting at the empty area by the side of the Archangel, but he did not realise when the exhaustion took over him and left him unconscious. He did not even remember what dreams had haunted him that night. All he knew was that the dreams (or nightmares, more rightly) were connected to the two previous wars, a disturbing dream that he could not protect himself from. Snatches of deaths, fights, battles, tears, laughter... Athrun opened his eyes slowly and sat up with a rather sleepy yawn. His back was aching – clearly, he had chosen the wrong place to fall asleep.

"Are you awake?" Cagalli's voice made him look up. She was walking towards him, two mugs in her hands and a small smile on her lips. Athrun moved over, allowing her to sit, and he accepted the coffee gratefully. "Sorry. I found you sleeping a while ago, but I didn't want to disturb you," Cagalli said quietly, leaning against the blue-haired Coordinator.

Athrun blushed slightly, but he let her rest against him as he took a sip of the drink. "No... Sorry," he apologised. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"All night," Cagalli answered, surprising him. "It's fine. You've been working hard all by yourself again, Athrun. Are you alright?"

"Yes... I can't remember the last time I slept that long," Athrun frowned. "I was sitting here alone last night... I was thinking about Kira."

"Is that so..."

"I want to believe he's still alive."

Cagalli's eyes widened. "Athrun..."

"I can't bring myself to believe that he's dead, Cagalli. That guy... He wouldn't allow himself to die on us at a time like this. He's alive somewhere out there," Athrun said determinedly, clenching his fist. Cagalli saw that there was a faraway look in his eyes. "I have to believe that."

She understood him, of course. How could she not? Cagalli wanted to believe that Kira was alive herself. She could not accept that he had left them. Not him, not her brother, the one and only family she had left. Cagalli bowed her head, her free hand moving to grab Athrun's. She felt him squeezing her hand tightly and smiled slightly despite herself. "I first met Kira in Heliopolis," Cagalli said quietly, surprising herself that she was telling him this now. "I went there to investigate Morganroete – I wanted to find out if Orb was really assisting the Earth Alliance by developing new mobile suits. Then ZAFT attacked and I bumped into Kira... He chased after me and forced me into a shelter with only one empty space left, saying that he would be fine. I thought he had died before I met him again on Earth."

Athrun laughed darkly. "I met him at Heliopolis, too. After we parted from the moon, I had been waiting for that guy to make his appearance in PLANTs, but he never did. I was about to stole the Aegis... but Captain Ramius was there, so I ran towards her with a knife. I wanted to kill her. And there he was, right beside her..." he trailed off, shaking his head. At that time, Athrun had been confused... He did the one thing that, for the many years he had been a ZAFT soldier, he never regretted; he ran away.

He hadn't been surprised that Kira had turned out to become the pilot for the Strike. He _had_ been surprised at first when Kira told him that he wasn't with the Earth Alliance, but then understanding had taken over him and he realised that Kira must've been at the wrong place at the wrong time. With his undeniable skills and talents, as well as being a Coordinator trapped in a neutral colony, Kira would've been the ace that the Earth Alliance needed. Athrun had been so angry then... angry because Kira was used by the Earth Alliance... angry because he couldn't rescue Kira's friends whom Kira had wanted to protect... angry because he was forced to fight against Kira...

"Athrun! Cagalli! Please come to the bridge right away!" Murrue's voice was urgent, breaking through the blue-haired Coordinator's thoughts. Athrun and Cagalli looked up in surprise – Athrun's brows pulled together. Something had happened. He wondered what could have caused the Archangel's captain to sound so distraught, but a part of him was already making accurate guesses. With a nod to each other, they quickly made their way to the Archangel bridge, spotting Mu, Miriallia, Sai and a few others there already.

"What's going on?" Athrun demanded, concerned.

"We received a message from Terminal," Murrue said, hugging herself. Mu came over to her side and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Sirne Anfiel has been assassinated. Not only that, shortly after the assassination, Washington DC was bombed. Many civilians were killed."

"_What_ did you say?" Cagalli cried out, the shock clearly portrayed in her golden eyes. "Was it RENEGADE..?"

Murrue shook her head. "I don't know. They haven't released a statement claiming that it was them. In any case, it doesn't change the fact that Sirne Anfiel is dead..."

Athrun clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "At this rate, Blue Cosmos will..."

Mu nodded. "Most likely, that new leader of Blue Cosmos, Ryuu Apene, will take over the Earth Alliance."

"Captain!" Sai called, turning to face the group. "We have another message from Terminal! It looks like a footage of the assassination."

"Put it on the screen, please!" Murrue answered.

Sai turned back to his station and tapped the keyboard several times. In only a few quick seconds, the footage was displayed on the Archangel bridge's main screen.

Surrounded by bodyguards, Sirne Anfiel fiddled with his keys to the shelter in his mansion. He struggled to open the door, but it was evident that the shelter lock had been tampered with, and they were cornered in the Anfiel family manor. He turned back towards his bodyguards and shouted something, fear clearly portrayed in his green eyes. One of the guards shouted back at him and he shook his head, slamming a fist against the wall. Then, suddenly, there was a large explosion and a guard ran towards the Vice-President of the Earth Alliance, shielding him from the rocks. A few guards were instantly buried in the debris caused by the blast. There were ten guards left, but amazingly, only three people entered the room after the explosion. Two were wearing body armour fit for a soldier, but one was clearly wearing a woman's pilot suit. The two soldiers attacked the guards while the woman dodged the attacks, running very swiftly, armed only with a curved knife which she used to kill five guards instantaneously before turning to stick the knife into Sirne Anfiel's chest. She watched as the man struggled to stay alive, but when it was clear he was gone, she signalled to the two soldiers and they hurried away. Before she left, she raised her head to the security camera and raised a hand, as if in greeting, before disabling it speedily with the throw of her knife.

Athrun clenched his teeth together as the screen turned black. _That girl..._ It was impossible for him to see her face or hair, but something about that girl was familiar to him.

"That girl was no Natural," Mu said suddenly, though everyone in the room knew that by now. "I suspect that those soldiers with her are Naturals, however."

"Those soldiers were Sirne Anfiel's guards," Athrun said, turning his eyes back towards the group. "I could see the Anfiel logo on the side of their uniforms. They must've turned their backs on him and assisted the girl in the assassination."

"This will cause an uproar..." Cagalli whispered, shocked.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs – Supreme Council Building, Aprillius One (Present Day)<strong>

In the Supreme Council Building in Lacus's private room, the pink-haired songstress and her private advisor had just finished witnessing the footage given by Terminal. Lacus pressed her lips together and leaned back, her head bowed as her mind raced with thoughts. She, too, could clearly see that the assassin in the pilot suit was no Natural. But who issued the attack? Could it truly be RENEGADE? The way the situation stands, the assassination was most advantageous to Blue Cosmos leader, Ryuu Apene, who would undoubtedly take over the Earth Alliance. It was possible that Blue Cosmos were now working hand-in-hand with RENEGADE, for they did share the same ideals of separating the Naturals and Coordinators. Lacus's brows furrowed. _Why..? And what will they do after this?_

Yzak ran a hand through his silver hair angrily. Now, more than ever, Lacus was in danger. But he knew that asking her to step down or go into hiding would be futile – she would definitely insist that it was now that she needed to be here the most, to persuade ZAFT and PLANTs to keep on opposing RENEGADE. _But with so many wanting to be separated from the Naturals..._ Yzak clenched his fists tightly. He, too, knew that Lacus needed to stay. He eyed the silent songstress and narrowed his eyes slightly at her. If she had to stay, then he would make sure that whatever happens, he would keep her safe.

Taking out his mobile device, Yzak tapped into it a few times, alerting Dearka and Shiho of the situation. Yzak may be a loyal soldier to ZAFT, but he wasn't stupid. He learned to trust his own judgement of a situation since the first war. At this rate, he would be a fugitive very soon, but he couldn't care less. His squadron, at the very least, will see through Lacus's safety until the very end, for the sake of PLANTs and the world.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs – Second Generation Nazca-class Ship, <strong>_**Aurora**_** (Present Day)**

The news of Sirne Anfiel's death spread like the plague, and even before the Earth Alliance had made their announcement, the news was widely known among the ZAFT officers. Laniel had seen it coming. He had been counting the hours, wondering when the news would come – in his opinion, either RENEGADE or Blue Cosmos would make their move to assassinate the man, and he was slightly saddened by the fact that he had been correct. They could no longer pretend as if this wasn't a grave matter. It was apparent that Yzak had thought the same, for Laniel received a message from the young General, alerting him of the situation. The General's orders were clear, but even if Yzak hadn't issued the warning, Laniel would've done the same thing Yzak was doing anyway – he would protect Lacus with his life, as a true and loyal member of the Clyne Faction. He had no doubt that Yzak was just waiting for an assassination to be attempted on the pink-haired songstress. In truth, Laniel wouldn't be surprised if even Lacus was waiting for it herself.

In terms of protection, Lacus had many ready bodyguards by her side, Yzak included. But with part of ZAFT working quietly under RENEGADE, the situation was truly dangerous for the provisional Chairwoman – perhaps _too_ dangerous for Laniel's liking. In case they needed to turn their backs on ZAFT in the future (in which Laniel could see no escape from), he needed to be sure that his squadron was loyal. It was essential, considering that he himself could not pilot a mobile suit. He had no concern about Sierra, who was also a member of the Clyne Faction, but his two other senior pilots were worrying him. Laniel made his way to the _Aurora_'s mobile suit hangar quickly. He had been with _this_ pilot long enough to know that this was where he would be, tending to his new Gundam. As usual, Laniel was correct – he could just make out the pilot's figure from inside the open cockpit of the ZGMF-X19X Destiny Gaia.

"Shinn!"

Shinn looked up from the screen of his Gundam, surprised. He climbed out of the Destiny Gaia's cockpit and looked down, spotting his Vice-Captain there. "Captain..." Shinn trailed off. It was apparent that the _Aurora_ wasn't about to enter any missions, so why..? Shinn grabbed the lever and allowed it to transport him onto the ground. He faced Laniel and saluted. "Is everything alright, Captain?"

Laniel smiled and shook his head, placing a hand on Shinn's shoulder as he steered the black-haired Coordinator away. "Walk with me, Shinn," he said, surprising the young pilot.

They walked until they reached the room that would lead to _Aurora_'s deck. It was empty, except for another red-uniformed ZAFT pilot – Lunamaria stood and saluted in surprise but Laniel waved her off. He released Shinn's shoulder and sat at the seat available, gesturing for them both to sit down. They followed.

"I'm sorry. It's not my intention to be mysterious, but I needed to talk to you both," Laniel said gravely.

"What's wrong, Captain?" Shinn asked again.

Laniel looked away. "Sirne Anfiel has been assassinated," he said quietly. "The Earth has yet to make an official statement about it."

"No way!" Shinn cried out in surprise. "But... who? Was it RENEGADE?"

"I don't know. But the attacker was no Natural," the Vice-Captain answered grimly. He leaned forwards, resting both his elbows on his knees. "At this rate, Lacus-sama is in grave danger. So are the neutral countries like Orb. So I need to ask you... What are you both fighting for?" he asked seriously.

Lunamaria and Shinn exchanged glances. "I..."

"I am fighting for the sake of this world," Laniel said, turning his eyes away. "I don't doubt that you two are fighting for the same thing."

Shinn's brows furrowed slightly as Athrun's words from the previous war echoed in his mind. _Think back Shinn! What is it that you really want?_ "But..." Shinn trailed off, the image of Rey coming to mind. "We are soldiers of ZAFT. We fight according to their orders and defeat the enemies that we are told to fight... right?"

"You can say that," Laniel said slowly, "but if something happens to Lacus-sama, and she is replaced by someone who wants to separate the Naturals and Coordinators, will you follow that person's orders then?" he challenged.

Shinn was surprised. Lunamaria cast her eyes away. "It can't be helped if that's the case... can it?" she asked slowly. "In the end, we're still ZAFT soldiers."

"I would feel very sorry if that were the case," Laniel answered. "I may be a ZAFT soldier, but I am also my own person."

"Your own person..?" Shinn echoed.

"That's right. If the time comes when ZAFT makes the wrong decision, I will try my best to correct their actions. If they continue, then I will no longer be a ZAFT soldier."

Shinn clenched his hands. "You will turn traitor to ZAFT?"

"Yes," Laniel answered, not even hesitating. "If ZAFT no longer fights for the reason I am fighting, then I see no more reason to support it. That is my stand," he insisted. "Do you know what those badges mean?" he asked, nodding to the silver unofficial badges of the Archangel that Shinn and Lunamaria were wearing. They remained silent, knowing that their Captain would provide the answer. "Those badges symbolises free will. They symbolise one's own beliefs, and the determination to fight for those beliefs. You are both wearing those badges. I assume that if the time comes for us to turn traitor, you will not hesitate, if it is to fight for your own set of ideals," he said, standing up. "Do not fight your enemies without knowing why. Do not fight in battles when you don't know the source of your anger. Otherwise, you're nothing but a killing machine," he said, leaving the room.

Shinn was stunned. Laniel's last words echoed what Athrun had told him during the war five years ago. Admittedly, they were also common words that Kira had always told them as well. "I wonder what's on the Captain's mind," Lunamaria said softly, confusion in her eyes.

Shinn remained silent. _Killing machine... Stellar..._

An hour after their conversation with Laniel, Shinn and Lunamaria found themselves in the _Aurora'_s resting area, watching the live declaration of the Earth Alliance regarding the assassination of Sirne Anfiel. Ryuu Apene, the leader of Blue Cosmos, declared that the EA had appointed him as the new leader and he showed the footage of the assassination, claiming quite rightly that the act wasn't done by any Natural. Following this, Ryuu announced that the enemies of the Naturals had always been the dangerous Coordinators, using the assassination and bombing in Washington DC as proof. He also claimed that Lacus Clyne, the provisional Chairwoman of ZAFT, had only announced that they were against RENEGADE in order to let the EA's guard down so that the murder could be carried out easily. Ryuu Apene declared the Earth Alliance's decision to support RENEGADE's ideals following Sirne Anfiel's death and highlighted the dangers of the Coordinators to the Naturals, reminding the world on how close they had been manipulated by Coordinators during the war five years ago.

To Shinn, and many others who had witnessed the war, the look in Ryuu Apene's eyes was unquestionable: It was the look of absolute triumph of a cold-blooded murderer.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown – Second-Class Minerva Ship, <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

Sethe Tienn, the Vice-Captain of the _Renegade_, was a very impatient man. With messy light blonde hair that went down to his shoulders and deep blue eyes, he was a man whom many feared due to his biting temper and sharp intellect. He watched the news with bored eyes, occasionally glancing at the monitor that remained black. Sethe clenched his teeth together. _What is Amalfi thinking? It's about time we launch an attack already and strike while the iron is hot_, he thought angrily. The _Renegade_, like its predecessor, the _Minerva_, was a very capable ship. Sethe was just itching to try it out in combat.

"Captain! Two unknown mobile suits coming in!" Carnell Toren, one of the _Renegade_ crew members, informed.

Sethe was surprised. _That was a quick wish granted_, he thought to himself. He stood and moved over to stand by her side, examining the radar carefully. "Can you get a visual?" he asked.

"Yes! One moment," Carnell answered, her fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. "Visual coming up."

The large screen by their right flickered to life, showing two mobile suits heading their direction. One mobile suit was dark green while the other was a dark shade of teal, with a few hints of orange. The two mobile suits were, without a doubt, Gundams. Sethe smiled. "About time. Open the hatch! They're not our enemies. Those two units are for the _Renegade_. Alert the technicians!"

"Yes, sir!"

Sethe quickly exited the bridge and made his way to where the mobile suits had made their entry – the mobile suit hangar. The ship, he was told, had the exact same layout as the previous _Minerva_. He reached the place just in time to see the two pilots climbing out from their cockpits. They lowered themselves to the floor and removed their helmets, facing him. If Sethe didn't know better, he would think that the two were brothers – twins even. They both had the same shade of light brown hair and black eyes and they saluted as Sethe approached them.

"RENEGADE-A1001 Advocate pilot, reporting for duty! Alias: Genei Alens."

"RENEGADE-A1002 Zantetsuken pilot, reporting for duty! Alias: Tierra Hito."

Sethe nodded and saluted them. "Second-class Minerva ship, _Renegade_ Vice-Captain. Alias: Sethe Tienn. Good work getting here," he said, smiling slightly. "I'm sorry your real duty has been taken away from you."

Genei shrugged. "It's easier for us now that the Freedom is gone. Commander Aiten apologises for the lateness of the development of these two units," he informed, his thumb moving to point at the two Gundams behind them. "Why isn't he here with us? Isn't he the commanding officer of the _Renegade_?"

Sethe's eyes narrowed. As much as he hated to admit the fact, they were right. Sethe _wasn't _the commanding officer of the ship, and he didn't like that one bit. "Commander Aiten has another task in his hands. He will rendezvous with us when the time comes. In any case, with you two finally here, we will soon be given our first mission, so stay alert," he ordered. The two nodded and saluted as Sethe walked away.

A low whistle caught the two pilots' attention. They turned, facing an older man with black hair and eyes. "Those are two brilliant units," he commented, examining them before walking over. They saluted but the man shook his head and instead offered his hand. "No need for formalities with me. We're not exactly soldiers. I am the mobile armour pilot in this ship. I honestly cannot remember my alias. My name is Takeru Irashi," he said, shaking their hands.

Genei and Tierra exchanged glances. "Is that okay?" Genei asked, surprised.

"I can't see why not. Having aliases means that you cannot be trusted – at least that's my opinion on the matter. But I don't blame you both to keep your real names to yourselves. That's to be expected when you join a group of terrorists," he smiled. "In any case, forgive Captain Tienn's cold attitude – he's not the nicest guy around, if you get what I mean," Takeru said, winking. He grabbed both their shoulders and led them away. Surprised, they could do nothing but to follow. "You guys are young – no need to act like soldiers, it's rather annoying. Just be yourselves. I'll show you around the ship! Welcome to _Renegade._"

Tierra laughed and shook his head. "Thanks, Takeru."

"It's my job to make people happy," Takeru replied.

"What's going to happen after this?" Genei asked curiously.

Takeru shrugged. "Beats me. All I know is that I'm here to pilot that mobile armour, kill whoever goes in our way, and hope for the best. Who they are or why we're fighting them doesn't exactly matter to me. It's not my job to think."

Takeru showed them around the ship easily, pointing out the important places like the sickbay as well as the cafeteria and their sleeping quarters. He took them on a full tour around, except for the bridge which he only pointed to as they passed through, and kept on walking until they arrived at the mobile suit hangar again. "I heard that we're expecting more mobile suits like those two beauties," he said, nodding at the Advocate and Zantetsuken. Apparently, one of your mobile suits will be using the Minerva-class's special catapult modules?"

Genei's brows furrowed for a moment before he finally realised what the mobile armour pilot was talking about. "Oh, that. You must be talking about Liesel's unit. RENEGADE-A1003 Premium. I guess you'll see it when she joins us," he said, shrugging. Takeru pursed his lips for a moment, as if in deep thought, but before they knew it, the black-haired pilot began talking again.

Meanwhile, Captain Sethe Tienn was standing behind Carnell, the ship's enemy detection and electronic warfare identification crew member. She tapped into her keyboard a few times, her fingers moving swiftly. "Here they are. Genei Alens and Tierra Hito – and there's another who still hasn't joined us; Liesel Asien," Carnell informed as the profiles of the two new pilots were displayed on her screen.

"Third Stage Extended Humans, eh..." Sethe said softly as he read their profiles.

He knew about Extendeds, of course. They were human weapons – pilots – created by the Earth Alliance since the first war to provide better capabilities in fighting against Coordinators. The First Stage Extendeds that were known to have participated in the war were Clotho Buer, Orga Sabnak, and Shani Andras, the pilots of the GAT-X370 Raider, GAT-X131 Calamity and GAT-X252 Forbidden. They were lethal fighters who went against the Archangel, but Sethe read the report of them needing the Gamma Glipheptin drug to perform at peak performance and ensure loyalty to the Earth Alliance. The Second Stage Extendeds appeared during the second war under the names of Sting Oakley, Stellar Loussier, and Auel Neider. They piloted the ZGMF-X24S Chaos, ZGMF-X88S Gaia and the ZGMF-X31S Abyss, and were known to need maintenance for their mentalities, including the modifications of their memories. In terms of battle capabilities, they weren't as lethal as the first stage Extendeds.

Neither Commander Oern Aiten nor Yuri Amalfi had informed him that he would be receiving three Extendeds as pilots for the _Renegade_. In a way, it was a fair deal due to how the _Renegade_ worked in complete secrecy, down to their names which were kept unknown. But as far as Sethe's knowledge went about Extendeds, they needed high maintenance. The fact that these two came without anyone to care for them unnerved the Vice-Captain somewhat. Had the Earth Alliance finally succeeded in developing human weapons that were finally capable of standing against the real Coordinators?

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Area 4 (Present Day)<strong>

Kira opened his eyes slowly. All night long, he had thought back to his conversation with Daisuke, wondering what to believe and what he really was. Was it true that this was his destiny, determined due to his existence as an Ultimate Coordinator? Or was it his own choice to fight for the world, and the fact that he was the Ultimate Coordinator was just a coincidence? Kira shook his head, clearing the thoughts from his mind. He looked around – once again, he was alone in the infirmary. His eyes caught sight of a crutch resting by the side of his bed and he smiled slightly at the sight of it. Clearly, someone must've known that he wanted to get out of this place after staying down for so long. Gritting his teeth, Kira sat up and reached out for the crutch, grasping it firmly with his left hand. He placed his feet on the floor gingerly and proceeded to put his weight on them – it did not seem as if he would topple over.

_Ken said that I'm in the abandoned Mendel Colony..._ Kira thought, finding it absolutely ironic that he was back at the place where he was created. Rau Le Crusset's face came to his mind and he quickly shook his head, getting rid of the image. _Lacus said that this place has been thoroughly abandoned... The air is supposed to have been sucked out completely since the last war. They must've restored the place..._

Kira limped slowly. He poked his head out of the infirmary door and found himself in a hallway. Immediately to his right was a clearing. A large screen covered the left wall, and there were also seats and a long table. To the right were cabinets, stored with books and food. The clearing was empty, but Kira could see another hallway at the end of the room. _I wonder where they are..._ Kira thought as he tried to find the three Coordinators, shaking his head. He decided to go left. His footsteps echoed loudly as he moved, but the hallway was empty. When he finally reached the end, he came face-to-face with an automatic door which opened as it sensed Kira approaching. _I have to be careful in this place... But everything seems fine..._ Kira thought. He entered.

The room looked like a research lab. Rows of books were stored inside the cabinets lining the walls, and there were also several tables laid out. One large incubator was placed in the middle of the room and the lighting was very poor. Kira gazed around, the image of the place filled with scientists suddenly appearing in his mind. He shook his head quickly. It was apparent that this place was the research lab for the Ultimate Coordinator project. Kira listened intently, but the place was truly quiet. He walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a book, skimming through it. They were reports. Failures. Endless names and numbers of children who ended up as failures, unable to survive as they went through the tests. Kira felt sick.

"You shouldn't wander around too much in your condition," Ken's voice reached his ears.

Kira turned quickly, his hand knocking over the pile of books that he was looking over earlier. Ken chuckled. Swiftly, the red-haired Coordinator walked over to the surprised pilot, picking up the books carefully before storing them back in the cabinet. "Sorry," Kira muttered.

"No, I should apologise for surprising you," the other responded, turning to him with an amused smile. "This place is the secret lab of the scientists involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project. It's a good thing Daisuke is one of them, otherwise, we wouldn't have anywhere to hide you," he said, laughing slightly. "The late Chairman Durandal made sure that all the records were wiped clean, but apparently he did not know about this place. It's sealed pretty securely."

"Your parents... You said they were involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project..?" Kira asked hesitantly.

Ken nodded. "Our parents were great scientists, Kira. Perhaps the best during their time, which was why they were chosen. Most of the scientists involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project were killed after Rau Le Crusset murdered your parents and the most recent sponsor of the project, Al La Flaga. I heard you battled against Crusset," he said, raising his eyebrows slightly. Kira looked away. "I see. That happens in war, I suppose. You meet people who have ties with you under the strangest circumstances. My parents were killed a little later after yours. I managed to run away with Hikari with the help of Daisuke-san. We've been with him since. For a while, we lived quietly in Heliopolis until that place was taken down by ZAFT. We never settled in one place after that – Daisuke-san's pretty paranoid."

"I didn't know anything about all this," Kira said, almost angry at himself.

"Good," Ken laughed. "That means we all did a pretty good job. You weren't supposed to know anything. The Ultimate Coordinator project was supposed to die a quiet death, with no records of any successful creations."

"You..." Kira trailed off. Ken arched an eyebrow and nodded, prompting him to continue. "No, I mean... You and Hikari are also Coordinators. Are you..."

Ken shook his head. "Our parents wanted their children to be Coordinators, but no more than that. We weren't involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project... At least, that was what Daisuke-san told us. So don't worry," he said, placing a hand on Kira's shoulder. "Even though many perished as failed experiments, you are still you. An Ultimate Coordinator, but still yourself. It's not like you _asked_ to be an Ultimate Coordinator. You shouldn't blame yourself for what you see here," he said gently.

Kira could feel the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Was he such an open book to read? "But... Everyone..."

"Humans have ambitions, Kira. And that led to your creation. That's all there is to it. Coordinators are supposed to take humanity to the next stage of a brilliant future, but if that has been destined for us when we were created, then I guess there's a lot of useless Coordinators around – or failures, more like it," Ken said, turning his eyes away. He laughed suddenly. "Ah dear... I'm starting to sound like Daisuke-san, aren't I?" he asked.

Kira couldn't help but smile. "I guess so."

The other Coordinator crossed his arms. "Even as an Ultimate Coordinator, you have the choice to stop fighting, Kira. You need to believe that – believe that you always have a choice. Once people stop believing that, it's over."

"I wonder what we are really supposed to do..." Kira trailed off despite himself. "The world is already shouting for independence from each other. To separate the Naturals and Coordinators. Is there no hope left? Are we supposed to let them get what they wish for..?"

Ken shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. We don't know the answer to that, do we?" he asked. "There is a story that I've heard before this... about two enemies who were fighting for the same girl. No matter what, they wanted her, and they fought with each other, each trying to kill the other endlessly. In the end, the girl killed herself and ordered her servants to cut her body in half and give the two halves to each of the men. When they received the halves, they cried so hard that they made peace with each other."

Kira frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"Beats me," Ken laughed again. "I just thought you might be interested in hearing it."

They went silent then, both trapped in their own thoughts. Kira, for one, was beginning to get exhausted. The thoughts of Lacus and the others clouded his mind and he wondered if they were alright. He wondered if Lacus would forgive him for destroying the sword she had given him, yet again. Even if he was to leave the Mendel Colony, how was he to fight his battles again? How was he supposed to protect her?

_Are we created for a purpose..?_ Kira thought to himself, bowing his head. _Yes..._ Of course. Kira refused to believe that they were alive without any reason for existing. To live, and then to die, without a purpose that they needed to reach... the thought was depressing, even to him. The images of Athrun, Cagalli and Lacus, laughing and smiling, came back to him. Did they think he was dead? They must have... And he needed to get back to them quickly. Kira couldn't believe that they had no purpose in staying alive. Believing that would make his life meaningless, in which saving the world would also be a futile attempt, which he knew it wasn't. He _knew_ it wasn't. Yet, he also refused to believe that he wanted to fight because he was an Ultimate Coordinator. Coordinator or Naturals, all that did not matter. There were still things he couldn't do, which his friends could. If only the world could see that similarity within their differences...

"Kira!" Hikari's voice reached his ears and Kira raised his head slowly. Her image was blurred. "Ken! What have you done to him?" Hikari admonished the surprised Coordinator. Kira felt a hand press against his forehead. "Daisuke-san will scold you for sure!" _I need to get back to the Archangel..._

"He's fine," Ken's voice was annoyed, but he moved to Kira's side anyway. "...Or maybe not. Come on, let's get you back to the infirmary."

Kira nodded, gripping his crutch again, but it was apparent that his body was failing him. He half-registered his legs giving away, then bumping against something hard as Ken caught him. "Jeez, Kira. You're an Ultimate Coordinator, but don't push your luck," he joked as Hikari took the crutch from his hand. "Your body is still prone to getting damaged when hit by debris." Ken shifted and carried Kira on his back easily.

"Sorry..." Kira mumbled, his eyes closing. He registered them moving away from the room, their footsteps echoing loudly. He could vaguely hear the sound of the door sliding open, followed by a surprised gasp.

"What happened?" Daisuke's voice was shocked and sounded faraway.

"Just exhausted," Ken answered.

"Yeah right," Hikari snorted. "Ken is responsible for this!"

Daisuke huffed. "Don't push him too hard, Ken. The Earth Alliance has made its announcement about Sirne Anfiel's assassination. It's just as we thought – Ryuu Apene is taking over."

_What..? Sirne Anfiel's dead..? Ryuu Apene... That's right... Blue Cosmos's new leader... Then... The Earth Alliance... And RENEGADE... No... Lacus... I need to get back... Lacus... Wait for me..._

Kira mind registered no more.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

"Athrun Zala! Please come to the bridge immediately!" Murrue La Flaga's voice was urgent as she repeated the statement. Surprised, Athrun looked up from the report he was holding in his hand. _That's twice today..._ he thought, his eyebrows raised in bewilderment. He was in the Archangel's mobile suit hangar, tending to his Justice as well as to the Akatsuki. With the Earth Alliance now officially joining RENEGADE under Ryuu Apene, leader of the Blue Cosmos, Athrun had no doubt that there would be a battle that needed to be fought soon. Judging by the tone of Murrue's voice, he was convinced that the time had finally arrived – it was typical for Blue Cosmos to act so quickly, after all. Athrun handed the report to Murdoch and ran to the bridge, vaguely aware of the green mechanical bird that was following him. Cagalli and Kisaka were already there when he arrived, along with Murrue and Mu La Flaga. "Athrun-kun!"

"What's going on?" Athrun asked urgently.

"We received a message from Terminal," said Kuzzey – one of Kira's old friends from Heliopolis, and Archangel's Communications Controller. "An attack has just been launched on the Kingdom of Scandinavia. The flagship has been identified – a Second Generation Minerva-class ship called _Renegade_," he informed, his eyes on the screen. "It's a ship that has been reported missing from Maius One. There are mobile suits from EA with the _Renegade_," he said, turning to look at Murrue.

_Minerva..?_ "They've made their move," Mu said, crossing his arms. "It's not even surprising that they're attacking the neutral nations first."

"The RENEGADE sent an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Scandinavia before the attack, demanding them to accept their ideals or risk being eliminated but they refused immediately. The Earth Alliance used the excuse that Sirne Anfiel was assassinated by a Coordinator to join RENEGADE. Apparently, RENEGADE did not issue the assassination order," Kuzzey continued.

Athrun moved to Kuzzey, reading the message quickly before straightening and turning to Cagalli. He may be an Archangel member, but he was still an Admiral of Orb. "What will you do, Cagalli?" he asked.

Cagalli thought briefly. "We can't leave it like that," she said quietly, turning to Murrue. "Captain... will you launch the Archangel? That nation has always helped Orb at times of need," she said immediately.

"That is fine," Murrue nodded, "But what about Orb's ideals?"

Cagalli clenched her fists together. _Orb will not attack another nation, will not allow another nation to attack them, and will not intervene in the conflicts of other nations_ – that has always been Orb's motto. "RENEGADE is not a nation, and we have already issued a statement that we do not accept their ideals. Their proposal of separating the Naturals and Coordinators goes against Orb's ideals and their attack on the Kingdom of Scandinavia proves that it is an enemy to the neutral nations. Orb will offer their help," she said determinedly. "Please launch, Archangel! Orb will try to send their forces as soon as possible," she said. "If we leave it like this, Orb will definitely be targeted next."

Athrun and Kisaka nodded. Under the circumstances, even ZAFT should send their forces to help.

Mu ran his hand through his hair. "They've done the pincer attack on the Kingdom of Scandinavia. They've really done it this time."

Cagalli turned to Mu. "Will you pilot the Akatsuki?" she asked, smiling slightly. "Even if I go, I don't think I can launch."

Mu looked surprised. "If you're sure," he said, giving her a thumb's up.

"I'm counting on you," Cagalli nodded. "Athrun, please launch with the Justice and the Archangel," she said, turning to the Coordinator.

Athrun couldn't help but feel surprised. "Are you sure?"

"Archangel is a fast ship. In any case, you'll definitely arrive before the Orb forces," Kisaka answered, moving to pat the young Admiral on the shoulder. "I'll lead Orb's fleet. You can take a squadron of Murasames if the Captain allows it."

"Of course!" Murrue answered, not even hesitating. "I know we all wish for a world without fighting, but at this rate, it cannot be helped."

Cagalli clenched her fists. "We must not allow them to succeed. As long as RENEGADE still holds their ideals to separate the Naturals and Coordinators and attack the neutral nations, they are deemed as enemies of Orb, and Orb will fight to protect its nation. We cannot wait to be attacked before we attack. The attack on the Kingdom of Scandinavia was done because they refused to separate the Naturals and Coordinators – Orb _must_ help."

"We know," Murrue said, placing a hand on Cagalli's shoulder. "Archangel will prepare to launch!"

As the preparations were being held, Athrun followed Kisaka and Cagalli towards the deck. The Kingdom of Scandinavia was known as the largest neutral nation on Earth, and yet, their military forces were not as first-rate as Orb's. If the battle was truly to separate the Naturals and Coordinators, the Earth Alliance must've prepared enough to bring the whole nation down. Athrun clenched his hands, his brows pulling together. It was as ridiculous a situation as it could get, but it was indeed happening. After two wars where both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT tried to eliminate each other, he supposed it wasn't at all that surprising.

They gathered a group of twelve Murasames. The pilots stood facing Athrun, Cagalli and Kisaka, their eyes unwavering once they found out about the nature of the battle.

Cagalli faced them, her golden eyes fiery with her resolve to fight. "Orb has always been a nation that protects their ideals and strives to remain a neutral ground between Naturals and Coordinators. We have always rejected the ideas of separation between the Naturals and Coordinators, but what Orb really strives for most is peace between the two," Cagalli said, her words firm as she addressed the twelve pilots in front of her. "In a way, this fight will still be for Orb. As loyal soldiers who wish to protect Orb's ideals, I wish for all of you to not just think about Orb's best interests, but to think and protect those who share our opinion. I'm counting on you," Cagalli said, saluting them. She turned to Athrun and nodded to him before turning to leave with Kisaka. They would follow after the Archangel soon enough.

Athrun turned to the pilots. "You all have trained very hard up until now, and the purpose of that training is for this battle – a battle to fight for peace. Please do your best," he said, saluting them.

They moved quickly. The Murasames docked with the Archangel in a manner of minutes. Just before Athrun was about to board the Archangel, he heard his name being called and he turned, spotting Cagalli who was running towards him. Athrun closed the distance between them and hugged her. "Take care, and be careful," he said gently.

Cagalli nodded. "You too, Athrun. Make sure you come back..." she said quietly, casting her eyes away as she remembered her brother.

"I promise." Athrun kissed her briefly. "Don't worry, Cagalli. For sure, I'll be back," he said determinedly. He smiled and turned, quickly making his way back to the Archangel. He definitely was not going to allow himself to be shot down, no matter what. Athrun made his way to the bridge, nodding to Murrue to signal that they were all ready to leave.

"We're launching!" Murrue commanded.

"Engine starting," reported Arnold Neumann, Archangel's pilot. Athrun moved to sit on the co-pilot seat, tending to the checks on the Archangel's armour and APU, reporting as he did so. "Conduit and APU online. Power flow nominal. Confirming the closure of all hatches. Life support system activated. Main engine, contact. Systems, all green. Archangel, all stations online."

"Open the floodgates!"

"Floodgates opening. Full gauge! Opening the main gate. Restraining arms, removed."

"Engine output at 15%. Advance slowly."

"Engine output at 15%. Advancing slowly."

"After exiting the channel, advance at full speed! Archangel is a faster ship now – we should make it in time," Murrue said, turning to Mu. "This will be a rather troublesome battle," she mused.

Mu shrugged. "Don't you always engage in troublesome battles?" he challenged and she couldn't help but laugh slightly at that.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs – Supreme Council Building, Aprillius One (Present Day)<strong>

"The Kingdom of Scandinavia has rejected ZAFT's offer for assistance!"

"What are they thinking? Don't they realise that the Earth Alliance is looking at total annihilation?"

"I propose we forcefully enter that battle. _Our Coordinators are in that country!_"

Lacus closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she listened to the voices of the council members around her. She certainly did not expect the King to reject ZAFT's offer of assistance in order to fight against the Earth Alliance, but perhaps it couldn't be helped. The King of Scandinavia had always been a wise man, and part of her respected the man for rejecting their offer. Accepting help from ZAFT would immediately mean that they were forming an alliance with PLANTs. Though, at the time being, they _were_ allied in the sense that both nations were against RENEGADE, the Earth Alliance would definitely take that as an opportunity to justify their actions and further their battle against the Coordinators. An attack on a neutral nation was never a popular approach – without the assistance of ZAFT, there would definitely be an uproar, which Lacus presumed was what the King had aimed for with his decision.

"What will we do? At this rate, our bases on Earth will be attacked as well!"

"Everyone," Lacus raised her voice, immediately gaining their attention. "We cannot force the Kingdom of Scandinavia to accept our help. Orb has already issued an order to send out support forces. We have done what we can," she said quietly. Lacus herself was unsatisfied with her answer, but what else could they do?

"What about our bases on Earth?" A council member asked.

"ZAFT will defend their bases if it comes under attack," Lacus insisted. "We will not be driven out of Earth and conform to RENEGADE's ideals. Please ask our forces to remain alert and on stand-by with the situation in the Kingdom of Scandinavia and assist them if they accept our help," she said sternly, clenching her fists.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Kingdom of Scandinavia (Present Day)<strong>

"Captain!" Sai called urgently, his eyes on the radar. "There are ZAFT Vosgulov-class submarines just outside the territorial waters of the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Count: Seven. The Earth Alliance also has vessels surrounding the outside of the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Three Spengler-class carriers, one Fraser-class escort ship, five Arkansas-class cruisers, and Des-Moines-class cruisers."

"_What_?" Murrue stood, barely able to believe the report. "What are those ZAFT submarines doing outside of their territorial waters?"

"I don't know. They don't seem to be engaged in the battle," Sai reported, raising his eyebrows.

"The Kingdom of Scandinavia must've rejected ZAFT's offer of help," Athrun realised, clenching his fists together. _Lacus..._

"Captain! There's a report saying that resistance groups at the border of the Eurasian Federation are assisting Scandinavia's forces against the Earth Alliance!" Miriallia informed urgently. "Visual image coming up!"

The screen to their right flickered to life, showing multiple sections of the battles taking place in the large nation. Murrue gasped. The forces from the Kingdom of Scandinavia were surely being pushed back, their forces and defence lines wavering as they battled. "At this rate, they've got no chance..." Mu said quietly, shaking his head. The Eurasian Federation might be holding up a resistance group, but there was no denying that they were also part of the Earth Alliance. Forces from the Eurasian Federation were also on their way to the Kingdom of Scandinavia – some to attack, some to assist.

Athrun clenched his teeth together. "What about that Second-class Minerva ship?" he asked.

"It's not showing on the radar. It must be on land," Sai answered.

"Captain!" Athrun called Murrue urgently.

Murrue nodded. "Engines at maximum! Surface at 30 degrees! We will engage them in battle!" she commanded.

Athrun and Mu immediately ran towards the hangar, stopping only briefly to change into their pilot suits. Athrun could feel the small rush of adrenalin as he zipped the suit, his hand reaching out for his red helmet. Five years had passed since he last wore this uniform for the purpose of battling a war, yet here he was again. He clenched his teeth, his eyes blazing with anger. The image of Kira came to his mind and he glanced at the locker beside him where he knew, loyally, Kira's blue pilot suit was still stored. Athrun grabbed his helmet and ran to the mobile suit hangar.

"All hands, first level battle status! All hands, first level battle status!"

"Do your best, everyone!" Mu called over his shoulder as he grasped the lever of the Akatsuki, immediately climbing into the mobile suit's cockpit.

Athrun turned to his Murasame crew. "We will attack the naval ships first and support the Archangel until the Orb fleet arrives. Be careful and do your best," he said, saluting them, watching as they climbed into their Murasame units. Athrun moved quickly to his Justice, descending into the cockpit as Mu had. He strapped himself in and activated the mobile suit, putting himself on stand-by for launch.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

G.U.N.D.A.M Complex

Miriallia suddenly appeared on the right screen. "Commander Flaga, Captain Ramius asked you to stay close to defend the Archangel."

"Hey, hey, that's Captain _Flaga_, Miriallia," Mu reprimanded her.

Miriallia immediately blushed. "I-I'm sorry!"

Mu laughed. "Never mind about that. Old habits die hard when you're a soldier."

She couldn't help but laugh. "I guess so. Be careful."

"Roger. Athrun?"

Surprised, the blue-haired Coordinator looked up. "Y-yes?"

"Are you alright?"

Athrun nodded firmly. "Yes. Don't worry, Commander Flaga." _For sure... I'll make sure these guys never succeed..._ Athrun thought determinedly. For Orb, for Kira, and for the rest of the world.

"Archangel has surfaced. Preparing mobile suits for launch. Connecting APU. Catapult, connected. Akatsuki, standby. Systems, all green. Akatsuki, please launch!"

"Mu La Flaga. Akatsuki. Launching!"

"Justice, please launch!"

"Athrun Zala. Justice. Launching!"

Athrun activated the phase shift armour and boosted the thrusters of his Justice, launching the crimson mobile suit out of the Archangel. His radar immediately detected enemy mobile suits coming their way and he tensed, equipping his dual machine gun and swiftly disabling the mobile suits one by one from afar. "Windams?" Athrun noted in surprise at the large number of blue and white mobile suits. _Blue Cosmos must've been waiting for this moment..._

"Murasame units, please launch!"

As the twelve Murasames exited the Archangel, Athrun slowed slightly, allowing them to build a formation behind him. "Murasame units! I'm opening a path. We'll cut through the Windams and proceed to destroy the cruisers first. Follow me!" Athrun switched the dual machine gun to the beam sabers, moving swiftly as he cut through the Windams, making a path for the Murasames to pass through as they, too, shot down the mobile suits that threatened them. As he did so, Athrun switched the communications channel, informing the remaining forces of the Kingdom of Scandinavia that Orb had come to help. They accepted gratefully, much to Athrun's relief. He still couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling knowing that ZAFT's forces were just outside of the territorial waters, watching the battle.

Once they were in the clear, the Murasames split into three groups consisting of four units per group as they each attacked an Earth Alliance cruiser. Athrun boosted his thrusters again, and switched the beam saber on his left hand for a machine gun, shooting down the visible weapons from the EA carriers. He probably wasn't as skilled or merciful as Kira, but Athrun was determined to fight the battle as how he knew Kira would fight it. He refused to allow his anger to swallow him and allow him to kill more people if he could help it.

.

"Hey hey! That red mobile suit – that's the Infinite Justice, isn't it?" Genei asked as his screen showed a close-up image of the Justice taking down an Earth Alliance cruiser before disabling five Windams. "It doesn't look very friendly to me."

Tierra laughed. "That mobile suit... If I'm not mistaken, the name of the pilot is Athrun Zala. He fought with the Freedom in both wars."

Genei narrowed his eyes. "Captain Tienn! I can see the Archangel – they've just arrived and are now battling against the Earth Alliance fleet. I want to take down that red mobile suit," he said, his fingers itching for the fight. Genei disliked the Freedom, but to have it destroyed before he could get the chance really irked him.

The grey-haired Vice-Captain nodded. "Take it down if possible. That mobile suit is as dangerous as the Freedom. Tierra! You handle the gold one. We'll engage the Archangel," he commanded.

"Roger! Alright, let's go!" Genei said, boosting his thrusters.

.

The alarm sounding from his cockpit surprised him. Athrun's eyes widened as the screen of his Justice showed two mobile suits heading his direction – one was green, the other a mix of dark teal and orange. They were, without a doubt, Gundams. His screen caught another movement and Athrun finally spotted the Second-class Minerva ship, _Renegade_. It looked exactly like the Minerva he had joined five years ago. He had no doubt that the Renegade was going to engage with the Archangel. _"Kuso!"_ Athrun cursed, boosting his thrusters. Whatever happens, he must not allow those two Gundams to get near the Murasame units. "Third Murasame units! Please defend the Archangel. Commander Flaga!"

"I see it!" Mu answered, the Akatsuki appearing beside the Justice instantly. "So this is the flagship."

"Let's go!"

Athrun wondered which mobile suit to engage in battle, but it was apparent that they had made that decision. The green mobile suit took out its beam sabers and Athrun immediately switched the machine gun on his left hand with his own beam saber. Their sabers clashed instantaneously and Athrun clenched his teeth. _It's these guys who started it..._ he thought angrily. He lashed down with his right arm and it dodged swiftly, before attacking with its left hand, which Athrun blocked quickly. _Sharp reflexes... He's not a Natural..._ Athrun thought, the image of the Sting, Auel, and Stellar from the previous war coming to mind. _Extendeds... could it be?_

"_So you're the Justice? Athrun Zala?"_ The pilot's voice confirmed Athrun's suspicions – it was a guy, and a young pilot at that. Athrun tensed, switching his left beam saber for his machine gun once again and he began to shoot. "_Wah..! You're quite skilled. It's to be expected, as Freedom's companion,"_ the pilot taunted him again.

"Why are you_ doing_ this?" Athrun shouted, the mentioning of Kira hitting a nerve. He lashed out quickly, moving as fast as ever, but the pilot was equally skilled.

"_Naturals and Coordinators cannot live together, and we're here to make sure of that. Don't underestimate the Advocate and Zantetsuken! These mobile suits were specially designed to bring down the Freedom... but unfortunately, it has already been taken down, has it? I guess the Freedom guy isn't that strong after all."_ _Kira..._ Surrounded by mobile suits from ZAFT and the Earth Alliance, two halves falling and exploding before it hit the water's surface... With a cry of anger, Athrun lashed out, his beam saber finally coming into contact with the Advocate's armour, damaging it slightly. "_How dare you do that to my Advocate!"_

.

"Gottfried! Fire! Release Sledgehammers!"

The last Arkansas-class cruiser in front of them took a direct hit. The engines exploded and the anti-air cannons were blasted by the Archangel's missiles, rendering the ship useless as the Murasames proceeded in disabling their missile launchers. At least where the territorial waters were concerned, they were swiftly defeating the Earth Alliance ships.

"Captain!" Sai called, a hand pressed against the listening device on his right ear. "Enemy ship coming at one o'clock! It's the Renegade!"

"Visual coming up!" Miriallia reported.

The screen showed a Second-class Minerva battleship heading their way. Murrue's eyes widened at the sight as memories of the previous war came back to her. According to Kira, Captain Gladys had died in the Messiah along with Chairman Durandal, so she immediately shook away that Captain's face from her mind. _I wonder who's piloting this ship..._ Murrue thought, her brows pulling together. "Thirty-degrees to port! Set the Renegade as a target. Aim for their cannons! Valiants! Fire!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Point 4 (Present Day)<strong>

"Daisuke-san..?" Ken moved close to the silver-haired Coordinator, turning his eyes on the battle taking place in the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Daisuke didn't respond, his eyes hard as he watched the fight. Ken sighed. He hadn't expected Daisuke to answer, but still...

Ken turned and watched as Hikari replaced the wet cloth on Kira's forehead before moving to stand by his side. He smiled slightly at her and placed a reassuring arm around her shoulders, allowing her to nestle against his chest. One of the images on the screen switched to reveal the Archangel firing its beam cannons and Ken felt Hikari tense. "Don't worry," he said calmly as they watched. "The Archangel is a strong ship. They'll make it."

"The purpose isn't exactly to win," Daisuke said suddenly, surprising the two. "If I'm right, the Earth Alliance and RENEGADE are not looking at total annihilation. Merely devastating the military forces in the Kingdom of Scandinavia should be enough to reach their goals. What country can protect its nation without power, after all..?" he asked quietly, receiving no answer. "This is just the beginning."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Kingdom of Scandinavia (Present Day)<strong>

"_Kuso!"_ Athrun clenched his teeth and fired his machine gun, finally hitting the Advocate's beam rifle which exploded in front of him. He could hear the young pilot's scream as the unit was thrown back, but that unit wasn't giving up just yet. From the corner of his eye, Athrun could see the golden Akatsuki battling against the teal and orange Zantetsuken – it was apparent that Mu, too, was having problems with the skilled pilot. The Advocate moved back, putting some distance from the Infinite Justice before launching eight missiles from its flyer pack. Surprised, Athrun boosted his thrusters, the Justice moving swiftly as he broke away from the missiles, taking two sharp turns to divert them before turning back and firing before the missiles could hit the land below. The Justice's shoulder took a powerful hit as he was occupied and Athrun cried out as the mobile suit was thrown forwards from the force. He turned back, spotting the Advocate again – the mobile suit had combined its beam cannons, hitting him with a powerful Hyper Impulse Cannon which, thankfully, only grazed the Justice – a few inches to the right and he would have been in deep trouble.

"_Hey... You're better than I thought you might be. Maybe you're even better than that damned Freedom pilot who couldn't even hold up against those stinking mobile suits,_" the pilot laughed, taking out the remaining beam rifle and shooting at the crimson Justice again.

Athrun gripped the handles of his Justice tightly. "You... Don't you _dare_ talk about Kira like that!" Athrun shouted furiously, the beam cannons mounted on his shoulders immediately locking onto the Advocate. Athrun was vaguely aware of an image of an emerald-coloured jewel exploding in a burst of light at the back of his mind, the fury heightening his senses immensely. The beam cannon fired, striking the Advocate's left leg which suddenly exploded. The pilot cried out again and Athrun boosted his thrusters, combining his beam sabers to form a double-bladed sword and lashing out instantly.

.

"Captain! The Advocate is being pushed back! Both the Advocate and Zantetsuken are getting low on power!" Schellen Iyadomi cried out, _Renegade_'s CIC.

Captain Sethe Tienn was beginning to lose his temper. Four of his thrusters had already taken a direct hit from the Archangel's Valiants, but they too had given their fair share of attacks on the ship. He clenched his fists as he examined the situation around them. Despite the battle with the Archangel crew, the majority of the Earth Alliance combatants had devastated the vast land of the Kingdom of Scandinavia. He decided to ignore Schellen's warning for now. Those two mobile suits were equipped with an ultracompact fission reactor – it might not be as effective as that Justice's hyper-deuterion nuclear reactor, but they should be able to hold on for long enough still.

"Aim the Archangel with the Tannhäuser! We'll take out that damned ship with this one for sure!" Sethe commanded, gritting his teeth. They might not be aiming for a complete success with this battle, but he sure was beginning to despise that red and white ship.

.

"The enemy has locked onto us!" Dalida shouted, bracing himself.

"Evade!" Murrue commanded.

Arnold Neumann, the ship's pilot, immediately steered the ship to starboard as the _Renegade_ fired its Tannhäuser, the high-energy beam grazing the side of the Archangel. The crew cried out as the Archangel shook with the impact. "Thrusters seven and eight are damaged! A fire has broken through!" Kuzzey shouted.

_"Archangel!"_ Athrun's worried cry came from the Justice.

"_Kuso! These guys..._" Mu cursed.

"Put out the fire first!" Murrue ordered. "We're right beside the city... If we can only fire the Lohengrin," Murrue said angrily, clenching her hands as she turned her eyes on the devastated forces of the Earth Alliance fleet by their left. They were right beside the ocean, but the _Renegade_ was in the middle of the city. The enemy ship might have fired their positron cannon, but there was no way Murrue would allow her ship to do the same. _These guys... They don't even care about the civilians..._

"Valiants! Fire!" Murrue shouted as they locked onto the _Renegade_ again. At the same time, a large number of missiles rushed past from behind them, hitting the _Renegade_ as it dodged the Valiants. Murrue was shocked. "Those missiles..!"

"Orb's fleet!" Sai's cry was like music to her ears. "Three Aegis-class battleships, three Kurokami-class battleships. And this is... the Harutsuki!" Sai turned, his eyes shining with gratefulness as he identified Orb's new flagship carrier. As if confirming his detection, a large number of Murasames whisked past the Archangel, immediately assisting the Akatsuki and Justice as well as the remaining forces from the Kingdom of Scandinavia.

"Captain!" Cagalli's face appeared at the Archangel screen, her golden eyes clearly troubled as she contacted them from the Harutsuki. "I'm sorry – we were late," she apologised.

Murrue shook her head. "No, Cagalli – in fact, you came just in time. Thank you," she said kindly.

Cagalli nodded, turning to Kisaka. "Support the Archangel! Direct your attacks on the carriers! And that ship... the _Renegade_. Third and fourth Murasame units are to assist those in the mainland!" Kisaka ordered as they deployed their forces.

.

"Captain!" Carnell turned, her eyes troubled as she gazed at the Vice-Captain of the _Renegade_. They were already aware of the new arrivals of the Orb fleet.

Sethe cursed loudly, slamming his fist against the armrest of his seat. "Signal flares! The _Renegade_ is to retreat from this battle! We have already devastated their forces – the rest is up to the Earth Alliance. Whatever happens, this ship must see through RENEGADE's ideals until the end. We cannot afford to be taken down here."

.

The signal flares were unexpected: It was apparent that the Earth Alliance was still battling. Shocked, Athrun stopped as the Advocate also halted in its tracks. Athrun wanted to ask why, but then his radar detected the seven new ships that had just arrived. One of them, he noticed with relief, was the Harutsuki – Cagalli's flagship. _I see... Thank goodness..._ Athrun thought as the Advocate turned and progressed towards the _Renegade_ with the Zantetsuken by its side. He eyed the two mobile suits, narrowing his eyes at them both before noticing two Murasame squadrons heading his direction.

"Murasame!" Athrun commanded, switching the communication channels.

"Admiral Zala! We received an order to assist the forces in the mainland," one of the squadron leaders informed.

Athrun nodded. He could already see that the Archangel had no intention of pursuing the fleeing ship. "I understand. Follow me. The rest of my Murasame squadron should follow as well! The Orb battleships and Archangel can keep this under control," Athrun said, storing his beam blades and taking out his remaining machine gun which he used to disable the Windams that were trying to block their path.

"Roger!"

Half an hour passed after the _Renegade_ escaped the battle before the Earth Alliance finally pulled back their forces, but the damage was done and their objectives were achieved. The vast land was devastated due to the attack. Athrun tightened his grip on the Justice's controls, clenching his teeth as he watched the horrors below. They did not give a single shred of sympathy to the civilians that couldn't get to the shelters on time. Issuing another order to help the civilians, Athrun boosted his thrusters and began to help the victims of the battle.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs – Supreme Council Building, Aprillius One (Present Day)<strong>

The Council was silenced as they watched the footages of the battle in the Kingdom of Scandinavia from the large screen in the room, split into nine sections. That nation, never known to have the best military forces among the neutral nations, was an easy kill for the Earth Alliance and RENEGADE. The King's refusal to ZAFT's offer of aid had the desired effect as shouts of protests from resistance groups began to form around the Eurasian Federation, much like during the previous war. Still, that desired effect came at a great cost. The cities were burned, the military practically destroyed, and people were once again angry and hurt. Lacus lowered her eyes, sorrow threatening to overwhelm her. Kira... he had fought so hard during the past two wars, only to have this happen again...

The image of the Justice landing at the bottom-right screen caught her eye. She watched as Athrun, clad in his red pilot uniform with the helmet off, climbed out of the Justice's cockpit and grasped the lever as he was transported to the ground. She watched as he began to order a few Orb soldiers before moving to help the other civilians remove a pile of rubble, revealing an injured, crying child. She watched as he picked the child up, taking her towards safety before issuing a few orders and running to help again. She watched his figure, worn and exhausted, as he continued to fight Kira's battle.

"Lacus-sama... What should we do?"

_Kira..._ "Please send them humanitarian aid. Give orders to the ZAFT soldiers to help with the rescue and repairs. The King will not refuse us this time," Lacus said quietly.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> The war has officially started! Which means that it won't be long before Kira will be joining the Archangel again, but there's also a lot more twists coming up. Information on the Advocate, Zantetsuken and Premium can be found in Chapter 5. All the Earth Alliance and ZAFT vessels mentioned in the battle (except for the Harutsuki) as well as the mobile suits are from Gundam SEED/Destiny, so you should find the information online if you're interested. The Harutsuki's specifications are the same as the Takemikazuchi in GSD. I'm sorry if I've made any mistakes during the battle scenes, or with any technicalities regarding the situation! D: I rarely write things like this. XD To clear any confusion that might be caused:

1) "Port" or "Portside" basically refers to the left side of the ship. "Starboard" refers to the right side of the ship.

2) There are basically three levels for battle stations, according to GundamOfficial. Starting from Third Level Battle Station: This one is where the crew are to be alert for possible combat, but the activities of other non-combatant personnel are unrestricted. Second Level Battle Station: The condition is more urgent, and the activities of non-combatant personnel are restricted. First Level Battle Station: Pretty much means that you're in battle. Pilots are to stand by their units, gunners to stand by their positions and be ready to engage the enemy in battle.

3) I know the Infinite Justice is equipped with the Multi-Lock Weapons System ("Full Burst Mode") like the Strike Freedom (that ability where they can lock onto many enemies at once and fire all weapons at once). But if I'm not mistaken, Justice can only use that when it equips the METEOR unit, unlike with the Strike Freedom. Canonically, at least, I assumed that Justice is unable to use it like the Freedom can, but as usual, let me know if I'm wrong. :D It's why I didn't let Athrun use that ability to open the path for the Murasames in this battle.

Anyway, I can't thank all of you enough for the reviews! It's amazing to see how much support I'm getting from all of you, and I really want to thank you for that! :D Thanks to PathKeeper, PrincessOfDestiny14, sugarcarly, WaaWaa, San17, StormriderX, nxkris and AngelicFox12 for your awesome reviews. You guys rock! :D Also thanks to those who favourite-d, alert-ed and read the fic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know!

* * *

><p><strong>San17:<strong> Thanks for the feedback! :D Just as how you can't wait to read that long-awaited reunion, I can't wait to write it. If things goes to plan, we'll probably read that reunion in the next chapter, or the one after it. It should be very soon. XD Another version of Rau Le Crusset will appear in this fic! :D We have been introduced to him already.

**PathKeeper** & **nxkris: **Thanks a lot for the feedback, guys!

**AngelicFox12**: I'm glad you enjoyed the Haro scene. I really had fun writing it. :D And thanks also for the review you gave in my other fic, AngelicFox12! I really appreciate it. :D


	9. PHASE 08: Protectors of Heliopolis

**PHASE EIGHT: Protectors of Heliopolis**

**C.E 79 Kingdom of Scandinavia – Archangel (Present Day)**

It was nearing 2AM when the crimson mobile suit finally docked with the Archangel. Athrun slumped back with a sigh as soon as the Justice was safe in the mobile suit hangar of the ship and he covered his eyes with his right hand, rubbing them tiredly with his thumb and forefinger. He inhaled deeply and deactivated the mobile suit, opening the cockpit and grasping the lever to transport himself down. It was a truly tiring day, but he couldn't just leave those civilians without at least offering some help. He knew that the Archangel crew had been helping out with the civilians as well. As he reached the ground, he was greeted by Kojiro Murdoch, the Archangel's senior technician.

"How's the Archangel?" Athrun asked, almost apologetic that he didn't come to help with the ship first.

Murdoch waved him away. "It's mostly the thrusters that took the damage, but the repairs are doing fine. This ship will be back in shape in a few hours," he said, giving the young pilot a reassuring thumb's up before looking at the Justice, examining it with the experienced naked eye. "That left shoulder looks like it took quite the damage. But we should be able to perk it up again in no time." The Justice had faced worse damages than this, which was rather comforting, knowing the nature of the battle they had participated in.

Athrun nodded slowly. "Thank you. Do you need any help?"

Murdoch snorted. "Are you kidding? Lad, you're dead on your feet. Go get some rest," he reprimanded, his right hand quickly pushing the surprised Coordinator away. "Don't underestimate us, we have it under control. You're needed somewhere else. I heard Cagalli was looking for you."

"I see," Athrun relaxed, managing a rather embarrassed smile. "Thanks Murdoch-san. I'll leave it to you," he said, turning away. He walked until he reached the elevator and his eyes widened when the door opened, revealing the princess he was just about to search for. "Cagalli!"

Cagalli raised her eyebrows and relaxed as she looked at him. "Athrun. There you are. Have you just gotten back?" she asked, though the answer was obvious.

"Ah," Athrun answered. "I'm sorry for disappearing for so long. Are you alright?" he asked as they ascended to the Archangel's ground floor together, making their way to the cafeteria. Though Cagalli hadn't launched in a mobile suit, Athrun could see that she looked as exhausted as he was feeling, and that wasn't surprising. Cagalli would've been busy with the Kingdom of Scandinavia's government, trying to see where they could help without weakening Orb's forces.

"I'm fine, thanks. Kisaka-san has returned with the Orb fleet a few hours ago. The King thanked Orb for sending out their forces, but I was really surprised when I first saw that ZAFT fleet outside Scandinavia's territorial waters," Cagalli commented, frowning. They entered the cafeteria and Athrun moved to get them drinks as Cagalli sat down, lacing her fingers together. "I can understand why the King didn't want to accept their help... but I'm sure Lacus is having a hard time. At least they're still sending humanitarian aid. The King couldn't refuse that," she said, accepting the drink as Athrun moved to sit beside her. "Thanks." Cagalli took a sip and bowed her head. Athrun noticed that she looked troubled. "Most of the Coordinators here are going to move to PLANTs. There are a number who asked to seek refuge in Orb, but I told them to head to Heliopolis instead. At this rate, Orb might be attacked next," she said dully. "Even when we're fighting, we're still forced to accept their ideals..."

Athrun lowered his eyes. An attack on Orb seemed like the most logical thing to happen next, after the attack on Scandinavia. He was as worried about that small nation as she was. Athrun reached out and grabbed her hand. "Don't worry, Cagalli. We'll protect Orb's ideals for sure," he reassured her, feeling the emptiness in his words. "In any case, what are you going to do?"

Cagalli sighed. "Orb is already on the defensive. The ones in danger the most are the Coordinators. I've asked them to seek refuge in Heliopolis if they won't move to PLANTs, at least for the time being. But really... Athrun, I'm worried about that place... Heliopolis," Cagalli admitted, her eyes shining with tears. "They've just rebuilt it, and it's nowhere near as safe as it was before this. Orb's forces are weaker there. I'm really worried..."

Athrun considered this. What Cagalli was saying was definitely true. They needed to launch their forces to protect that place, even though not many civilians had settled there yet. Even in the colony, there were only around five cities at most. Yet, it was still important for Orb to protect it. Athrun was worried about Heliopolis as well. He was also especially worried about Lacus who was in PLANTs, but in their current situation, there was nothing they could do. Athrun could only hope that Commander Waltfeld and his old friend Yzak would keep Lacus out of danger. _Kuso... If only Kira was still here..._

"We should deploy some of our forces to Heliopolis," Athrun said, turning his eyes on Cagalli.

"Yeah..."

"_Athrun! Cagalli! Please come to the bridge immediately!_"

_Again?_ Athrun looked up in surprise as the announcement was repeated. He stood, grabbing Cagalli's hand as he did so. Her eyes portrayed fear – clearly, their suspicions were equally matched this time. Athrun could only hope that he was wrong as they raced through the corridors, appearing at the Archangel's bridge. "What happened?" Athrun demanded.

Murrue shook her head. "The Earth Alliance is attacking ZAFT's Gibraltar's base as we speak. Their support with the battle here gave them the motive," she said, clenching her fists.

Cagalli took a few steps back. "What? Gibraltar is..?"

Athrun clenched his fists tightly, the anger clearly seen in his green eyes. It was just like Blue Cosmos to pull an act like that. Attacking the neutral nations wasn't enough to sway the ZAFT Council in retaliating, so they were attacking a military base now. Still, Athrun had faith in Lacus. He had no doubt that she would still try her best to calm things down, even against such an obvious challenge of power.

"It's most probably a planned ambush that they knew would happen, after Scandinavia," Mu answered, his voice low. "Whether ZAFT had sent their forces to help or not, Blue Cosmos would find a fault in their actions," he said bitterly.

"Captain!" Sai called, turning his eyes on the group. "We've gotten another message. The forces attacking Gibraltar are from the Earth Alliance but there are also forces from ZAFT's Victoria base. The _Renegade _is there."

"And Orb?"

"Nothing yet," Sai answered.

"ZAFT forces from Victoria... They were the ones who issued the attack on Botswana," Athrun gritted his teeth, casting his eyes away. _They are the ones who started all this... _"And that ship again... Captain Ramius, can the Archangel launch? We need to get back to Orb," he said, worried about the nation. He was only thankful that Kisaka was on his way with the Orb fleet as they spoke. With Gibraltar facing its own battles and the Kingdom of Scandinavia devastated, they had nobody left to rely on.

Murrue moved over to the side of her seat, picking up the phone. "Murdoch-san. Can the Archangel launch?"

"_Aiya... The thrusters aren't done yet, Captain. There's still a lot we need to repair,"_ Murdoch's voice was troubled. The Archangel could definitely launch, but still...

"Please get it done as soon as possible," Murrue answered, her voice firm.

"_Oh, fine. We'll try."_

"Thank you. Please do your best."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs – Aprillius One, Supreme Council Building (Present Day)<strong>

"What's going on? Why is _Victoria_ sending its forces to fight against Gibraltar?"

"I think this speaks for itself! Coordinators and Naturals _cannot_ live together!"

It was obvious that the Council was furious, and wanted nothing more than to attack back with the ZAFT forces. But doing so would be devastating – that was exactly what Blue Cosmos wanted: a war. A war so they could wipe out the Coordinators on Earth, using RENEGADE's ideals as their motive. It didn't matter that she was truly against RENEGADE's ideals, something about the separation between Coordinators and Naturals seemed wrong, and Lacus distrusted RENEGADE. Those ideals only attract extremists who would undoubtedly move towards the path of annihilation. Did Yuri Amalfi really believe that they could separate Coordinators and Naturals? Lacus doubted it.

"Lacus-sama! Please issue an order for them to depart from Gibraltar. It's time we truly cut our ties with the Naturals!"

"Why didn't we see this coming?"

"The only way to solve this is if PLANTs join in with RENEGADE's ideals!"

"No, we mustn't!" Lacus stood, her azure eyes burning with anger and determination. "We must not side with RENEGADE's ideals. We must not separate the Coordinators and the Naturals!" she demanded, clenching her hands together.

One of the Council members stood, his blue eyes burning with anger. "If I may say so, _Lacus-sama_, we are not just thinking about ZAFT and PLANTs. We're looking at Coordinators as a whole! At this rate, we'll be eliminated just because you're sticking to your ideals and pride when we Coordinators will fare better when we're separated from the Naturals! How much more damage do you wish to see happening? Even our_ forces_ are going against us!" he cried out furiously.

Lacus bit her lips together. They couldn't even issue a treaty with a group of terrorists like the RENEGADE. "Please send our forces to Gibraltar. We _will_ defend our base. If possible, try to keep the number of casualties to a minimum. Our objective is not to attack them, but to defend ourselves," she said, clenching her fists.

The Council member laughed. "Lacus-sama, we are not like that Freedom pilot you associated yourself so closely with during the previous wars. How are we supposed to relay that message to our forces?"

"Please try your best," Lacus insisted. "If even Coordinators are forced to fight against each other, then there will be no hope left in saving this world."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 ZAFT Gibraltar Base – <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

Genei was the oldest Extended among the three that were sent to join the _Renegade_, and thus had assumed a position as the leader for the trio. They were still waiting for Liesel to make her appearance, of course – she should be arriving soon enough with the Commander after they had settled their own little mission in space. In any case, both Genei and Tierra were being pushed to their limits with the first set of battles, but perhaps it was for the best. After all, he supposed that it was best to use a surprise attack to the best of their advantage, and the beginning of war was usually full of surprises. He yawned slightly, already strapped in his Advocate as he waited for the ship to decide when to let him launch. His fingers were itching to battle again even though Captain Tienn had mentioned that they were unlikely to meet the Archangel again. Whatever. He would pick on that crimson mobile suit again soon enough.

The light-haired pilot crossed his arms and looked at the interface of his Gundam with bored eyes. He could hear the battle outside and assumed that maybe the attack on Gibraltar was being handled better than they had thought. Those forces coming from Victoria would surely help confuse the ZAFT soldiers at the very least even though they would have the coordinates to locate which mobile suits came from which base... But even so, how to determine which is friend or foe? The idea of causing confusion among them tickled the Extended, and he suppressed a giggle. But that was what they were _for_. To cause confusion. To cause the world to hate each other so much to the point of annihilation.

Sometime after the development of the First and Second Stage Extendeds, the scientists finally discovered that making the pilots addicted to drugs or even controlling their memories and using block words weren't exactly the best way for them to be handled. The Third Stage Extendeds were different in the sense that they could think perfectly well for themselves, but they are prone to following orders set by Captain Tienn, Commander Aiten or Blue Cosmos leader, Ryuu Apene. Genei was a Third Stage Extended, and he prided himself with that fact. Third Stage Extendeds were developed with a love for war. Quite a number of them retaliated when they discovered that they were human weapons, but there were those who accepted the fact and decided they might as well play the part like Genei, Tierra and Liesel. Sure, they needed high maintenance, but not regularly as the previous Extendeds did. Genei was a conscious human weapon, and he accepted that. What else was he good for if he didn't play the part?

"Preparing mobile suits for launch. Connecting APU. Catapult, connected."

Alright! Genei smirked, tightening his grips on the controls of his mobile suit. Time to kill. "Advocate, standby. Systems, all green. Advocate, please launch!"

"Genei Alens. Advocate. Let's go!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs (Present Day)<strong>

The public uproar was astounding. Coordinators from various colonies in PLANTs were furious that the Supreme Council had allowed the Gibraltar base on Earth to be attacked. Resistant groups were beginning to form in various colonies, with many voicing their support to the terrorists from the Victoria base. Yzak's knuckles were white as he watched the news inside his office, the anger burning in his icy-blue eyes. Lacus, for the past two days, never seemed to exit the Supreme Council Building. A part of him wanted to voice his support to RENEGADE himself rather than watch their base be attacked like this, but Yzak knew that doing so would only add fuel to fire. He had witnessed enough times already how supporting ideals like RENEGADE would lead to the destruction of both sides, regardless of their true intentions of merely _separating_ Naturals and Coordinators. As the flames of war began to spread, the idea of separation would be thrown away, and one of the sides would move to actual elimination.

Yzak sighed. It was a truly difficult situation, especially for Lacus.

As if answering his thoughts, Lacus appeared on the screen, surprising the purple-uniformed Coordinator. With the public shouting their negative views towards Lacus, Yzak hardly believed it was a good idea for her to appear... but as usual, Lacus did what she needed to do. The silver-haired General relaxed slightly as he watched her.

"_Everyone... Please calm down_," Lacus's voice was unwavering, yet still holding the quiet authority that showed her strength. The rioting people were surprised and they turned to watch the provisional Chairwoman of ZAFT and PLANTs who had always earned their respect before this. "_I know all of you are tired and hurt from the previous wars. The Council knows it, too. But that is why we cannot allow ourselves to accept RENEGADE's way of waging wars in order to gain our peace_," she said calmly, her azure eyes soft. "_What PLANTs want most, above everything else, is peace. But will we fight and kill those against us in order to obtain it? Is that really the price we need to pay to get what we want, and say it cannot be helped that others cannot taste peace as well?_" she questioned firmly, her brows pulling together slightly.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Area 4 (Present Day)<strong>

Kira coughed and turned, opening his eyes as he pushed himself up. He blinked, turning towards the screen of the infirmary that was turned on, split into four different sections. They showed numerous battle scenes. Surprised, Kira blinked the sleep from his eyes and swung his legs off the bed, his brows pulling together as he watched the footages concernedly. A familiar crimson mobile suit caught his eye as it landed on the ruined grounds of the place, the blue-haired pilot transporting down and immediately helping the civilians around. A distance behind the mobile suit, Kira could make out the familiar outline of the Archangel.

"Athrun..?" Kira whispered softly, watching as his old friend hurried towards a ruined building and picked up a child from the rubble. A green mechanical bird landed on the young pilot's shoulder and Kira relaxed slightly. _Torii..._

"Kira?" Hikari poked her head into the infirmary and entered, holding a tray of food which she placed beside the brown-haired Coordinator. She turned her eyes to the screen. "It's awful, isn't it?" she asked softly.

"What happened?" Kira asked, nodding his thanks to the tray of food.

"The Kingdom of Scandinavia went under attack after the Earth Alliance joined RENEGADE. ZAFT sent their forces to help, but Scandinavia declined. The Orb forces joined shortly after," Hikari explained, pulling a chair to sit beside him. "It was awful. They devastated the Kingdom's military forces completely. I heard most of the Coordinators there are making their way to PLANTs, or to Orb. Either way, they're being forced to accept RENEGADE," she said quietly.

_I see... That would explain the Archangel..._

"There's another battle as we speak, in Gibraltar. They issued the attack two hours ago. I heard some of the ZAFT forces are assisting the Earth Alliance," Hikari said, shrugging. Kira clenched his fists together, his eyes cast low. It was just as he had feared – RENEGADE was definitely being bold with its actions.

"_Everyone... Please calm down,_" The familiar voice caught Kira's ears. His eyes darted to the screen again, looking straight into a pair of blue-grey eyes that he had missed all this time. How Kira longed to be back in Lacus's arms, to fight the battle with her and protect her again as they strive towards a peaceful life. She looked as strong as ever, but Kira wasn't fooled. Deep in the depths of those azure eyes was deep sorrow. He listened as Lacus made her statement, always trying to find a peaceful situation in the things she faced. _Lacus... Forgive me..._

"_We must not allow the world to fight against each other and spread the flames of hatred again. But that can only be achieved if we ourselves can be truly forgiving of the mistakes of the past. Do we really want a world where hatred consumes us all and lead us to disregard one another? Is that truly the path we need to take?_" Lacus questioned, her eyes burning with a sort of determination that Kira had come to recognise since the first time they met. _"It is not wrong for us to have dreams. And it is not wrong for us to fight. But... The power that we possess and the things we are able to do must not be handled recklessly. We will strive again for the peaceful world we have pledged to find._ _Everyone... The time has come for us to let go of our anger and pain towards each other. We must fight, but picking up our weapons isn't the only way we can fight,_" Lacus continued quietly. "_There are other ways for us to fight. So... please. Trust in us, trust in our dreams, and please lend me your help_," she pleaded.

The announcement ended and, as usual, a footage of Lacus singing the song of peace was then played. Kira closed his eyes, allowing her gentle voice to consume him. It was this song that she had often sung to him at times when he would wake from his nightmares since the first war. A tear escaped from his eye as the tenderness of her voice touched him. They were all fighting. They were all still fighting their battles, as hard as it was. Athrun, picking up the crying child from the rubble... Cagalli, most likely joining the battle after persuading the Orb forces to send their help... Murrue, commanding the Archangel as she tried her hardest to obtain peace... Lacus, as she tried to calm those who began to despise her...

"Kira..." Hikari's voice made him look up, and she had a kind smile on her lips. She handed him the plate of food, which he accepted. "Eat, Kira. You won't be able to return to the Archangel if you don't keep up your strength."

"But..." Kira trailed off, looking away. "The Freedom..."

Hikari shook her head and stood. "Don't worry about how you're going to get there. You'll still return, right?" she questioned, surprising him. Kira nodded slowly. "Then that's all that matters for now. The most important thing is that you know you _want_ to fight. The question on how you're going to do it will come later once you've made your decision," she said, then pursing her lips as she placed her hands on her hips. "That tray better be empty by the time I get back, or I'll consider asking Daisuke-san to drug you again," she winked, leaving him alone in the infirmary as she walked away.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day)<strong>

The Archangel docked in Orb eight hours later. The battle in Gibraltar had ended just an hour ago, with neither side winning, though Gibraltar's forces had been truly damaged by the attack. Throughout the attack, the Archangel crew could only watch helplessly as forces kept on coming in from both sides. The end of the fight was once again determined by the flagship, the _Renegade_, as it pulled away from the battle grounds and disappeared again, most likely making its appearance again with the next scheduled attack. Athrun narrowed his eyes as he watched, keeping his eyes especially on the dark green Advocate that he had encountered in the Kingdom of Scandinavia. The pilot had said that the two units were developed purely for the purpose of defeating the Freedom. Athrun couldn't help but feel angered at the group that had so cunningly worked in the shadows during the five years they had assumed peace. _Maybe they've been preparing for this even before the last war..._ Athrun thought darkly.

When the Archangel finally docked, Athrun stood and exited the bridge, having tending to the co-pilot station beforehand (much to Murrue's dismay). He walked back towards the deck and faced the Murasame team that had launched with the Archangel earlier. Athrun saluted them and thanked them for a good job, but there was a dull ache in his chest as he realised that from the twelve that had joined them, only seven remained. A part of him was frightened if the day ever came when he would see the loss of his soldiers as something that couldn't be helped, and that the dull ache would disappear – he hoped that that time would never come.

Athrun spotted Cagalli speaking to one of the commanding officers from the previous fleet. He waited for her to finish before finally joining her again as they made their way to the Parliament house. Throughout the night, Athrun had not slept, but he knew that lying down and closing his eyes would be a futile attempt at times like this. He watched the blurred trees as they were quickly driven to the Parliament house. Cagalli, for one, had a lot of things to think about and decide, and her silence told him that she was still troubled. Athrun had originally thought of accompanying her inside, but when they arrived, he shook his head at her, signalling that he wasn't getting off.

"Athrun..?" Cagalli raised her eyebrows, surprised.

"I'm going to the military headquarters. I'll see you later," Athrun said, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "Take care."

Cagalli blinked and nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later," she said, stepping out of the black car. Athrun shut the door and turned his eyes forward, aware of Cagalli watching him leave.

When he arrived, he was surprised to be greeted by Kisaka who was standing outside the large building. Apparently, the Fleet Admiral was just about to leave to board the Archangel, but decided against it when he saw Athrun getting off the car. Athrun saluted him out of respect and relaxed as he joined Kisaka. "How is Orb? Is everything alright?" he asked, referring both to the nation and to the fleet that had returned before them.

Kisaka nodded, steering the blue-haired Coordinator into the military headquarters. "Everything is fine. Archangel suffered more than our forces did during that battle. And, of course, the Kingdom of Scandinavia," he said gravely. "Some of our forces stayed to help out, but there's not much left that we can do for that nation. In any case, how is Cagalli?"

"She's fine," Athrun reassured him. "She has a lot to think about... And she's worried about Heliopolis," he said quietly.

They walked until they reached the main headquarters. Athrun asked for the status, but it was apparent that for now, Orb was still as peaceful as ever. They couldn't be too careful, however, and Athrun issued an order to alert the defence fleet for possible attacks. Until RENEGADE steps down, Orb will remain defensive for the attack that would surely come to assault their neutrality. They then moved to the middle of the room, where an electronic map of the Earth was displayed. Kisaka moved to stand next to Athrun, and a few other commanding officers, including Vice Admiral Armagi, joined them.

"As things stand now, Orb is not in a dangerous position," Athrun said, pointing towards the small island that was their nation located at the middle of the map. "The Kingdom of Scandinavia was first to be attacked due to its position right in the middle of the Earth Alliance territories. It was too easy for Earth Alliance to deploy their forces from Heaven's Base to attack them. Even though a lot of resistant groups are forming in the Eurasian Federation, they'll most likely be suppressed again as they were during the previous war. But still, the only threat Orb is really facing now is in JOSH-A from the Atlantic Federation," Athrun continued, pointing towards the location of the base on the map. "Even then, they are far from us, and the bigger threat is in Panama, which has lost most of its military influence since the United States of South America declared itself as a neutral nation, free from the Earth Alliance. We are also beside the Equatorial Union and Oceania Union – for now, ZAFT's Carpentaria base poses no threat, due to PLANTs still opposing RENEGADE. We are still in a safe position," Athrun said, but there was a dark hint in his voice that the soldiers did not miss.

Kisaka stepped forward, tapping his finger at the Carpentaria base in the Oceania Union. "Our fate lies on this base. If PLANTs decide to conform to RENEGADE's ideals, then Orb will be attacked," he said, turning his eyes away.

Athrun nodded. "As it is, Orb is sandwiched between Carpentaria and JOSH-A... and we are also extremely close to Earth Alliance's base in Kaohsiung and Panama. It will be a tough battle even though I know Lacus is still trying her best to keep the situation under control, despite the forces in Victoria that has turned their backs on PLANTs. Our only hope left of protecting our ideals, and the nature of our nation, lies in Heliopolis."

The senior officers began to murmur anxiously among themselves. After five years of rebuilding and development, Heliopolis had certainly grown strong again, but not as strong as they wished it would be. Athrun tapped into the electronic screen and the map of world was then switched to the map of the Lagrange areas surrounding the Earth.

"As it is, Heliopolis is located in Lagrange Area 3. With Artemis destroyed during the first war, an ambush is unlikely. The only real threat comes from PLANTs which is closest to us, but we should be able to defend it if our forces are strong enough. If worse comes to worse, Heliopolis will be our last ace card," Athrun said, sighing slightly. "At all costs, we _must_ defend it. Otherwise... we will have nowhere else to go."

.

Cagalli and Athrun returned back to the Archangel twelve hours later. With Athrun's predictions and the support of the Orb forces, they had deployed a large number of their military to Heliopolis. Cagalli had also issued a statement to the citizens of Orb, alerting them of the situation once again. Yet, Orb was not known to have strong ideals for no reason – most of the citizens still refused to leave Orb and head to safer places. For what it's worth, they still believed in Cagalli and Orb's military and refused to be driven away out of fear of an attack. The emotional response from the citizens shocked the young representative, and Athrun found her crying quietly in her room an hour later, holding the picture of her and Kira in the arms of their mother – the last item she had received from Uzumi Nara Attha before his death.

"What if I can't do it, Athrun..?" Cagalli had asked, looking up tearfully to the other Coordinator.

Athrun did not respond at first. He sat down beside her and placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. "Then at least they'll know you died trying," he said quietly, the image of Shinn coming to mind, that one day at their orphanage, when the black-haired Coordinator had taken the saw from Cagalli's hands, his red eyes finally showing understanding and forgiveness for what he could not understand before. "We'll die trying if we have to... like Kira did," he said, his green eyes on the baby with brown hair at the picture in Cagalli's hands.

The young representative merely cried afterwards, and it was all Athrun could do to stop the tears from flowing down as he held her tight. He wished he could be more reassuring, that he could tell her not to worry and they would win, but he could not. They had fought for so long already, and they would keep on doing so. That was all there was to it.

When they returned to the Archangel, they were greeted warmly by Murrue and Mu, as well as the rest of the Archangel crew. At that time, Athrun was comforted by the fact that even if he couldn't promise them all a battle finally won, he could promise that they did have loyal comrades who would fight with them until the very end.

"I'm sorry to ask this of you all when you must be tired after the long battle," Cagalli said, clenching her fists together. "But..."

Mu came over to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You want the Archangel to launch to Heliopolis?" he guessed, his blue eyes gentle.

Cagalli was surprised, but Athrun merely nodded. He wasn't surprised that the Archangel crew had figured it out – both Mu and Murrue were top soldiers that he had come to trust more than many others he had known. "I'm sorry..." Cagalli whispered. "But... at this rate, Orb is helpless! We can only rely on Lacus, but even we know that things won't work out the way it's going. The forces in Gibraltar were nearly devastated, and ZAFT had only been taking defensive measures. Those in PLANTs are furious. If this continues, then we... Orb will..."

"We understand," Murrue said calmly, smiling at her as the golden-haired representative wiped her tears. "We were planning on going up to space anyhow. Lacus is in danger," she said, her voice firm. Why else would Waltfeld depart from the Archangel so soon to head to PLANTs? "Will you come as well, Cagalli?"

"Yes," Cagalli said immediately, clenching her fists together. "Kisaka-san is staying behind, and I am needed in Heliopolis more than I am needed here."

"Well, that's settled. Shall we go?" Mu nodded to Murrue, the amused glint never leaving his eyes. "Though I have to respect all of you. We keep on doing the most impossible things," he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I guess so," Murrue agreed. "Archangel will prepare for launch! We will head to the Heliopolis colony located in Lagrange Area 3!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Area 4 (Present Day)<strong>

Once again, Kira found himself in the research room of the Ultimate Coordinator project. He was beginning to get stronger, and Hikari's words earlier had persuaded him to believe that he would be leaving this place and be reunited with Lacus again soon. But still, something niggled at his mind and he still wondered what his parents were like. He had learned a lot about his father, Ulen Hibiki, by reading his notes and reports, but not much was known about his mother, Via. Kira leafed through an old journal highlighting the small notes and details of causes of failures and possible attempts they could take to succeed. The way his father had written the notes, it did not seem as if he had viewed the "failures" as "children who died".

As Kira leafed through the different pages, he came across an entry, rather emotional than the others, about how The Ultimate Coordinator Project was running out of funds and that the sponsors were beginning to pull out. The only one who stepped forth to sponsor the project was Al Da Flaga, Mu's father, who would sponsor the project as long as Ulen agreed to make clones of him. Ulen, of course, knew of the dangers of creating clones, and the damage it may bring to the child, as opposed to being an Ultimate Coordinator – not to mention that cloning was illegal. But the need for sponsorship overcame that fear and he agreed, which eventually led to the creation of Al Da Flaga's first clone, given the name Rau Le Creuset. He was born with short telomeres which would ultimately lead to a quickening in his ageing process, something that was deliberately done so he could catch up to Mu's age quickly, but the effect was also devastating. Ulen did not mention how many more clones were produced, but Kira had encountered another one during the last war who had eventually saved his life by shooting the late Chairman Durandal – an elite ZAFT pilot named Rey Za Burrel.

With Kira's position as a high-ranking Commander in ZAFT, of course he had tried to find out as much as possible about both Rey and Rau, but failed to do so. Their profiles revealed nothing from that of an ordinary person, and until now, he still did not know how many clones were created. Chairman Durandal _did_ wipe the records clean during the last war, after all... except for this small place which only Daisuke knew about.

"Kira."

Kira turned in surprise, coming face-to-face with the silver-haired Coordinator. "Daisuke-san..."

"I'm surprised to find you here again. I actually would've thought that you would stay out of a place like this after finding out what it is," he said, walking over to Kira. "Did you find anything interesting?"

Kira was about to shake his head, but then another thought came to him. He examined Daisuke closely. This scientist was, after all, a comrade of his father's. "About... Al Da Flaga. Did you know a lot about him?" Kira asked.

Daisuke crossed his arms, resting his back against the cabinets. "No," he admitted, a dark look in his eyes. "But I for sure hated him. He knew how close we were in creating an Ultimate Coordinator – he could see the determination in your father's eyes, but we were running out of funds and there weren't many sponsors left who believed we could do it. I didn't like the look in his eyes. He was a very arrogant man," Daisuke's face was thoughtful as he recalled his memories. "I didn't know how your father managed it, but we got the sponsors. A great deal of money for sure. This lab was actually for the clones he created," he said, surprising Kira.

"But I thought..."

Daisuke shook his head. "Cloning was illegal at the time. Doing it in the main research and production lab in Area Four would have been a devastating thing to do. This lab was built in secret to produce Al Da Flaga's clones. Al didn't seem interested in how or where we did it, as long as he had his clone. So this place was securely kept, between Ulen, me, and a few others who were eventually killed. That Chairman Durandal seemed to know a lot for some reason, but I gathered that he was once acquainted with Rau Le Creuset. He really wiped the place clean of any information possible," Daisuke scowled. "Still, it's probably for the best."

Kira nodded slowly. He particularly disliked Chairman Durandal for a number of reasons, but this wasn't one of them. He was actually grateful for the Chairman's acts of wiping the documents clean. It was bad enough that the title of being a Coordinator already incited hatred within people... Kira didn't dare to think what his existence would lead people to do. "Daisuke-san..."

"Yes?"

"I was wondering about... about Cagalli. She..." Kira trailed off. The question had bugged him a lot for years, whether she her genes had also been modified or not.

Daisuke smiled. "I wondered if you were going to ask me that question, Kira. Cagalli is a Natural, through and through. You're not exactly identical twins," he laughed, and Kira couldn't help but smile at that. Cagalli was perhaps the exact opposite of him. "A Coordinator is produced by taking out the embryo in the very first stages of development, and modifying it. Once it looks stable, it is placed back inside the mother's womb to grow, and then to be born. But the condition within the mother's womb is very unstable, and it is a normal case where changes within the child happen because the mother's womb could not support those changes. Thus," Daisuke waved his hand around the room, smiling slightly.

"So Cagalli's genes were never modified?" Kira asked.

"No, never," Daisuke shrugged. "Via never particularly cared about having enhanced abilities or immunity – all she cared about was that children are there to be born, and not to be manufactured," he said, nodding to Kira. "They argued a lot when she found out that you were taken from her womb. And she cried. She always cried. Even when she was pregnant with Cagalli, she still feared for you. And when you were taken out from the artificial womb, she loved you fiercely even though she never gave birth to you. I suppose that's what a mother is. I was surprised when I first saw you," Daisuke continued quietly, his eyes faraway. "Brown hair, the same shade of violet eyes. Ulen never tampered with your appearance, which was already set to be identical to your mother's. He did love her, after all," he said, turning his eyes on Kira again. "Mankind and their ambitions. I think you know the rest."

Kira nodded. "I heard a little from Rau Le Creuset during the first war..." he said quietly.

"I heard you encountered Creuset. A funny play of fate, if I may say so. He despised himself, that boy. His condition, his pain... He hated everyone, not just us."

"So what will you do after this?"

He shrugged. "Go into hiding again, most likely. Try and live a small, comfortable, quiet life where I no longer need to fear that there are some clones out there to kill me," he laughed. "Most of the clones never survived the pain of having short tolemeres. But I don't know how many there are – only Ulen and Al did. Maybe once the world is peaceful again, I can try and put my talents where they will be welcome," he said, turning his silver eyes hopefully on Kira. "You're not the only one who wishes to make the world better."

Kira's brows pulled together. "Why not return to PLANTs? I'm sure you'd be welcome there," he said.

Daisuke shook his head. "Hardly. At least, I suppose I'm rather paranoid. Don't worry about me, Kira. We'll undoubtedly meet again, I have no concern about that... You know, once everything is cleared, once everyone can live without fear again, including me," he smiled slightly. "Right now, you need to rest. I don't know how you survived that battle, but the debris certainly did the damage. You nearly died," he smiled. "But it's not your time yet." Daisuke straightened and walked back towards the exit, pausing to wave at the brown-haired Coordinator before disappearing again.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis, Lagrange Area 3 (Present Day)<strong>

"Archangel has officially docked!" reported Arnold Neumann, the Archangel's pilot. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. At least they arrived without any troubles. With the world now at war again, the Archangel was most likely the most hated ship, and they had learned to be on constant alert for possible battles. Athrun stood from the co-pilot seat, nodding to Cagalli, Mu and Murrue – they would disembark first.

"I'm glad we finally made it," Cagalli said, walking beside Athrun.

"Ah," Athrun agreed.

They exited the Archangel and were warmly welcomed by Erica Simmons, one of Morganroete's senior engineers. Murrue shook her hand gratefully and even Cagalli seemed happy to be in Heliopolis again. Athrun remained silent as Erica led them away, the memories of him coming here to steal the mobile suits and meeting Kira during the first war coming back to him. They had truly come a long way since then. "The Orb fleet that was dispatched a while ago arrived safely, but I didn't think you should worry too much. Heliopolis is fine, and Morganroete has been working hard in developing more mobile suits for possible battle," Erica reported, showing them around the large factory. She led them to an elevator and turned to Cagalli as they descended. "We're aware of the situation in Orb. There's something I'd like you to see," she said, nodding to Athrun. Athrun raised his eyebrows slightly, but he said nothing.

The doors opened and they entered another corridor, eventually leading to two passages. Erica led them through the right until they met a security door. She unclipped her badge and slid it through the locking device, tapping in the security code as she did so. The large doors slid open, revealing a large working space and what looked like two abnormally large rings, the insides glowing like strange disks. "We've been working on this for a while, but it's only recently that we're putting our all into it," she reported.

"A shield?" Athrun realised, blinking at the sight.

Erica nodded. "We call it the Protectors of Heliopolis. It's capable of withstanding large amounts of highly-concentrated gamma ray emissions and high-powered microwaves," she said quietly, glancing at Athrun.

"In other words, an anti-GENESIS... huh?" he guessed, smiling slightly. The first GENESIS weapon was launched during the first war seven years ago by his father, Patrick Zala. Athrun had destroyed it by self-destructing the Justice inside it then, but a second GENESIS, under the name of Neo-GENESIS, was later launched by Gilbert Durandal during the war five years ago, later destroyed by Kira Yamato. The Earth Alliance was known to use high-powered microwaves, such as the Cyclops System, but that attack never reached PLANTs.

"It's still in development... But they are our hope in protecting this small colony," Erica smiled faintly, placing a hand on her hip.

Cagalli was tearful. "You guys..." she trailed off, laughing slightly despite herself. Her eyes took a determined look and she turned to Erica. "Please do your best."

As Erica led them away with more news, Athrun found himself walking away from the group, heading towards the development site. The shields were indeed very large and he crossed his arms as he examined them.

"You can almost say that this is a more concentrated form of N-Jammers," a voice came from behind him. Athrun turned and was greeted by a middle-aged man who held his hand out, which Athrun shook. "Heiji Sato. Head of Area Three of Morganroete... which is this place here," he said, waving his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Admiral Zala."

Athrun raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled. "Not at all. Thank you for the work you've been doing," he said, nodding towards the large disks. "Cagalli has been worried about Heliopolis, but this may put her mind at ease for a little while."

"Just when _isn't_ Cagalli-sama worried about us?" Heiji laughed. "I'm not surprised she left Orb to come up here, but that's why she always has our support. We're with her until the end, if it means peace between Naturals and Coordinators," he signalled Athrun to follow and they walked beside the large disks. "N-Jammer Cancellers work by cancelling the effects of N-Jammers. But one advantage we have is that fission reactions are never 100% efficient in producing energy – not even close. As long as there's something stronger that can overwhelm it, then we have the means of controlling it. This machine is more of a Nuclear Absorber than a Jammer. High levels of gamma ray emissions are absorbed and converted into a different form of energy. If we transport these disks to Earth and have the GENESIS constantly firing at it, then at the right setting and usage, we're looking at the number one energy producer right here, after antimatter," he said, crossing his arms. "Nowadays, people make a lot of discoveries. Positron cannons were once a fantasy, but it has now turned itself into a reality. Do you know how much those antimatter particles are worth? How much energy they produce?"

"They have a 100% efficiency rate, which is nowhere near that of a fission reaction," Athrun said quietly.

"Exactly! Yet they discover how to create antimatter, and they use it to make positron _cannons_!" Heiji said incredulously. Athrun couldn't help but smile at how dramatic he was being. Even with positron cannons like Archangel's Lohengrin, the cannon used no more than only a few particles of antimatter. "Morganroete was in the process of researching antimatter, until our need of protection led us to develop these disks first. Antimatter is too unstable, which is probably why it is best used as a weapon. But if we can utilise it properly, then we will have a very rich world. Unfortunately, people aren't worried about the energy crisis, are they?" he asked Athrun, his eyes twinkling slightly in amusement.

Athrun looked away. "I suppose not," he agreed. _People are more worried about fearing each other more than this..._ he thought. It was discouraging, of course. All the major breakthroughs they have made since the past eight years had been utilised for the use of producing deadlier weapons due to fear of one another, yet poorer countries were still suffering as they always had been. "Why do we start fighting with each other anyway?" Athrun asked darkly, his voice barely audible.

Heiji shrugged. "To be honest, I don't know. And I'm not surprised if those of you who are fighting don't know as well," he said truthfully. "These wars have been going on for so long, we eventually forget the real reason why we're fighting in the first place and create any other excuse that can support us to continue fighting."

A few hours later, after learning and sharing many things with those in Morganroete, Athrun found himself on his bed in the Archangel. Though those in Heliopolis had argued and asked them to stay in more comfortable rooms in the city, Athrun, Cagalli, Mu, Murrue and the rest of the crew had declined. They felt more secure sleeping on the ship where they could easily launch at any time if there were any emergencies. Athrun had asked the crew to keep a close watch on PLANTs before retiring back to his rooms to rest. His mind had been thinking about Lacus constantly, the worry aching in his chest as they waited for the inevitable to happen. Heiji's words echoed in his mind and Athrun turned, sighing to himself. It did not seem as if they _had_ a reason to keep on fighting.

A green mechanical bird landed on the side of his head and Athrun smiled slightly. He raised his hand, allowing Torii to hop on it and Athrun lowered it so that he was face-to-face with the bird. "Can you sense him, Torii?" Athrun asked quietly. The bird cocked its head questioningly. "Kira..."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs – Aprillius Four (Two Days Later)<strong>

Yzak was restless. Playing the waiting game did not settle well with him at all, and he didn't like it. He turned and shifted slightly before running a hand through his silver hair yet again, exhaling as he did so, then crossing his arms. Once again, they were keeping watch outside Lacus's house, but this time, Yzak did not ask his squadron along. He knew that he was pushing them too hard, and the reality of the situation of what they might face by turning against RENEGADE was beginning to dawn on the young General. After he bade his squadron a good evening, Yzak got into his car and was about to make his way up the elevator when he was stopped by Dearka and Shiho.

"Oy. You're going to keep watch outside her house again, aren't you?" Dearka had asked knowingly. Yzak only snorted and turned his head away.

It was Shiho who surprised him. "We're going with you."

"W-What?" Yzak had sputtered. He hadn't expected the two to accompany him – he didn't even know they were aware of him keeping watch in front of Lacus's house since the day they were ambushed by those colourful Haros. "But... You..."

"Come on. I kinda wish you'd get ambushed by her Haros again," Dearka had said, pulling his arm as they made their way to the elevator.

Yzak's cheeks turned red at that. He preferred to keep that memory stored away in the past, never to be remembered again. "Shut up, Dearka," he managed. But deep inside, he _was_ truly grateful for the company.

Now, as they kept watch, Yzak realised that Dearka was unusually silent. Maybe it was because this time, he had volunteered to go and wasn't forced, but Yzak doubted that. They were as anxious as he was. Lacus's decision in taking the defensive position against the Earth Alliance was definitely an unpopular one even though her words had enough influence on some of the public to support her. But with the Earth Alliance constantly attacking ZAFT's smaller bases on Earth, it was beginning to become a difficult situation. The public wanted action. They already knew that this war was no longer a war between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT – this war was between Naturals and Coordinators, pure and simple. Even the neutral nations weren't allowed to escape this time. Lacus's actions might have been supported thoroughly by the public during the previous war, for her actions mirrored that of Chairman Durandal's, but the people were growing wary of the game of politics. Plus, during the last war, the Earth Alliance had definitely not attacked any neutral nations like they did with the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Lacus's aim was simply to stop war from growing, but even with that, people were beginning to suspect her of having a hidden agenda.

"Commander... Are you alright?" Shiho's voice was quiet. Despite Yzak's promotion three years ago, she still preferred to address him as 'Commander' just to spite him. Yzak decided to ignore her. He wondered why he was feeling so restless, but then the realisation came to him.

"It's too quiet," he said, the reality of it hitting him hard. "It's far too quiet. I'm going out," he said, taking out his gun.

As a soldier, Yzak had been trained for many things. It was difficult him to enter any place or meet anyone without making a thorough assessment, and this was no exception. Having people walking around at night or even causing some noises was normal, but this... the silence was too loud. It was a planned silence. Yzak was vaguely aware of Dearka's shadow behind him as his second-in-command followed him. Yzak paused and glanced over his shoulder – the glint in Dearka's violet eyes told him that the black-uniformed Captain had suspected something amiss as well. _That might be why he was quiet_, Yzak thought despite himself. He reached the side of the house and pressed his back against the stone wall, listening intently. One might say that it was a peaceful night, but even in the silence, Yzak could sense something approaching. He focused his eyes into the darkness, and as soon as he saw something move, ever so slightly, Yzak open fired. He had been right.

The bang was amazingly loud, but others followed immediately. Dearka moved to crouch beside Yzak, shooting a few times before ducking and releasing his bullets again.

"_Kuso!_" Yzak cursed. This was no Haro ambush.

Running to the other end of the house, Yzak slammed his left elbow into the glass window, smashing it into pieces. He fiddled with the lock inside and jumped in, followed instantly by Dearka. Yzak stayed low as he moved through the corridors, allowing Dearka to cover his back. "Commander Waltfeld! Lacus!" Yzak shouted amidst the noise, firing two rounds when he saw a shadow lurking outside the window. The window shattered and the man fell.

"Yzak Joule!" Waltfeld called from above and Yzak hurried to his side immediately. A startled Lacus Clyne was standing beside him. "Good thing you're here, Yzak. The rest are outside, but I haven't heard anything," he said, clenching his teeth.

"We didn't get any back-up," Yzak said, his brows pulling together. Could it be that the group had already killed Lacus's guards outside?

"Yzak! They're breaking in!" Dearka shouted, running up the stairs as he dodged the bullets coming his way. Yzak and Waltfeld immediately open fired as Dearka joined them.

_Hahnenfuss!_ Yzak thought, immediately turning to Lacus. "Come on!" He grabbed her hand and led her quickly to the corridor away from the stairs. _Kuso! It's impossible to survive this one,_ Yzak thought to himself, his mind racing as they entered the songstress's room. Yzak released Lacus's hand and immediately made his way to the balcony, firing shots from above. He could just make out his car parked outside the lawn, in the depths of the trees, but could he make it? Yzak turned and watched as Waltfeld and Dearka shut and barricaded the door. He'd _have_ to survive it. Yzak took out a couple flash bombs from inside his pocket. He hadn't stationed himself outside Lacus's house for nothing.

"Lacus! As soon as I give you the signal, you're going to jump," he said urgently. Lacus's eyes widened, but knowing the severity of the situation, she merely nodded. It was most likely that they were facing ZAFT soldiers after all.

"Hey, aren't you going too far, Yzak?" Dearka joked, appearing beside him.

"Shut up," Yzak snapped, moving to the edge of the balcony. He glanced at where his car should be parked again and turned to glance over his shoulder. Waltfeld gave him the thumb's up. _A bold plan..._ Yzak thought, disgusted. But it was always the most obvious of plans that threw soldiers off. They were probably expecting them to hide in a shelter or something. Yzak launched the two flash bombs and shut his eyes as they exploded. He could hear a number of confused cries down below and jumped instantly, landing smartly and immediately shooting with his two guns. He watched as a few guards went down silently – Shiho's sniping. "Lacus!" Yzak turned and signalled to the songstress. Lacus hesitated, but Waltfeld placed a hand on her shoulder and she tensed, jumping straight into Yzak's arms, followed almost simultaneously by Dearka and Waltfeld who landed on each side. "Come on!"

Yzak pulled her and they broke into a sprint towards his car. He could only count on Dearka and Waltfeld to cover their backs, his teeth clenched together as he heard the rounds being fired. "Get inside!" Yzak commanded, pulling the door open and firing a few more rounds before getting into the car. Waltfeld was the last to slam the door shut, and as soon as he did so, Shiho slammed the pedals and the car shot away. They had a few seconds of advantage, but was soon being pursued by another three cars. "_Kuso!_ To think that ZAFT would act so boldly like this!" Yzak cursed loudly. He had recognised one of the soldiers when he passed them earlier, his icy blue eyes missing nothing.

"Please make your way to the Aries Hangar," Lacus commanded, her azure eyes burning.

"Aries Hangar?" Shiho asked, surprised, yet the speed of the car did not go down. "Are you sure?"

"It's our only hope," Lacus promised.

"Don't worry. Our comrades should be there," Waltfeld said quietly. The idea did not appeal to Yzak at all, but they had no other choice of staying alive. He nodded to Shiho – they would follow. Shiho cranked the gear and they accelerated faster, if possible. Yzak had always been a rather crazy driver with the love for speed, but even he had to admit that Shiho was a terrifyingly skilled one, if not suicidal. It was perhaps all he could do not to command his ace pilot to slow down. They drove straight into the hangar – Shiho's driving had given them a two minute advantage at most and Waltfeld led the way to the elevator. The crew members there, much to Yzak's relief, allowed their entry without question. _Lacus's followers, no doubt_. Yzak had no problem about that, but what worried him was how they were going to launch from this hangar to the main elevator and out of PLANTs.

They descended into a small hangar which revealed four mobile suits. Waltfeld immediately commanded them to pilot one each, except for Lacus who would be going with him. Yzak nodded in approval. They were merely ZAKUs, but it wasn't as if he had any place to argue. Yzak climbed into the cockpit of the mobile suit and activated the system, turning his blue eyes to Waltfeld's ZAKU beside him. "What's your plan from here?" he asked menacingly. Most of his anger, of course, was directed to Lacus even though he knew that the situation really couldn't be helped.

"There should be a shaft in the other hangar, if we can break into it," Waltfeld said easily. Yzak sighed. Of course the Commander would come up with such bold ideas. He gripped the handles of his ZAKU tightly, clenching his teeth. If he lived to see tomorrow, he really would like to unleash his temper on someone. They launched and exited the hangar, but there was nobody in sight. Yzak was beginning to feel apprehensive of the situation – where were the black cars chasing them earlier?

As if answering his question, the alarms in his cockpit sounded and Yzak boosted his thrusters just in time to evade a high-energy beam cannon. "_What?_" Yzak turned, his eyes turning to the radar that had just detected an unknown mobile suit. _That can come from nothing but a Hyper Impulse Cannon..._ Yzak thought, immediately spotting the mobile suit on his screen. He focused on the mobile suit, his eyes widening at the sight. It was blue and white, with heavy armour covering its sides and a large Hyper Impulse Cannon mounted on its shoulder. "G-Gundam..?"

"_Oy Oy, what's going on?_" Dearka sputtered. "_We didn't expect to be facing something like that_!"

"_That is no ZAFT unit_," Lacus's voice was firm. "_Please defeat it before it can harm those in the colony,_" she commanded.

Yzak slammed his fist against the armrest of the ZAKU. _"KUSO!_" he cursed. "Commander Waltfeld, take Lacus away to safety. We'll handle this guy," he seethed, immediately taking out his beam axe. A unit with a Hyper Impulse Cannon was similar to Dearka's Buster during the first war. Yzak had battled with it enough times to know its weakness – it cannot fight in close-range combats, and the cannon usually would take its time to recharge. Boosting his thrusters, Yzak immediately lashed out with his axe, smirking slightly as the mobile suit boosted its thrusters and headed up.

"_Give up, you idiot!"_ the pilot's voice surprised the young General.

_A... A girl..?_ Yzak thought, the fury immediately burning through him. _How dare she..!_ "Kisama!" Yzak lashed out again and fired with his left beam cannon. How dare this stupid, idiotic, _pathetic_ girl turn up and tell him to give up like that? Another cannon fired and Yzak evaded, turning his eyes below. Dearka and Shiho's units were battling against five ZAKUs, much like their own.

"_Give me a break!_" Dearka moaned.

Yzak fired again, chasing after the blue and white Gundam. "_You think you can defeat my Premium with that old ZAKU?"_ the pilot laughed, and Yzak cried out angrily, launching a grenade towards the mobile suit, which exploded by her left leg. "_You..!"_

The sound of a large explosion made Yzak stop and his eyes widened as he realised that Aprillius Four was shaking. "Aprillius..?"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Area 4 (Present Day)<strong>

"You can't! You'll be sending him to his death!"

Daisuke's eyes were icy cold as he turned to Hikari, already expecting the outburst. "We cannot keep him here any longer! When he finds out about this, he'll _demand_ us to let him go!" Daisuke said quietly, his voice full of authority.

"But..!"

Ken stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let it go, Hikari! We can't protect him forever. That wasn't the reason why we took him in with us," he pointed out. Hikari lowered her eyes. "Go with Daisuke. I'll take it from here," he said, turning and moving quickly to the infirmary.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs – Aprillius Four (Present Day)<strong>

"How dare you attack at Lacus-sama like this!" Hilda Harken, a loyal member of the Clyne Faction, shot at the GOUF that had been lingering outside of Aprillius Four along with the defence lines. They had been alerted of the situation by the members inside the colony, and immediately launched from Terminal to help. ZAFT was finally turning its back on the true songstress, and Hilda did not like that one bit.

Her mobile suit detected a large heat signal coming her way and she boosted her thrusters, moving up just in time to evade the powerful beam cannon attack that shot straight into the PLANT wall. "What?" Hilda turned, immediately spotting a Nazca-class destroyer heading their direction, which immediately deployed a large number of ZAKUs. Her eyes widened as it aimed for her again and she moved, evading just in time. However, the PLANT walls were weak against such high-energy beam attacks. A hole began to form, and Hilda watched in dismay as the air from inside Aprillius Four began to escape into space. Though it would take a long time for the air in Aprillius Four to be sucked out from that small hole, it told Hilda one thing for sure – these guys did not care if the PLANT collapsed.

.

By the time Yzak had made sense of the situation, it was already too late – the hole had been formed at the top of the colony, and if something wasn't done quickly, the colony would undoubtedly go down. "Dearka! Hahnenfuss! Commander Waltfeld!" Yzak called urgently, alerting them of the situation. They understood immediately, each of them boosting their thrusters as they made their way towards the escape into space. "Our primary objective is to escape. Put as much distance as we can from PLANTs!" Yzak commanded. Things were chaotic, but if he had placed his faith in the right people, the _Voltaire_ would come to them soon.

Yzak stayed at the rear, firing his gatling beam cannon at the pursuing Premium Gundam. He launched his grenades again, taking out the remaining enemy GOUFs behind them and turned to the Premium again. "_Kisama! _Don't mess around with me!" he shouted at her, switching for his axe again.

The Premium pilot did not respond and dodged as Yzak attacked. She boosted her thrusters, moving away from Yzak before combining her cannons again, mounting it on her shoulder. The Hyper Impulse Cannon fired, but Yzak's reflexes were quicker. Even with the slow ZAKU, he evaded the attack just in time and the beam went straight into the PLANT wall, breaking it with its enormous power. Yzak turned and watched, horrified as the crack continued until it reached the escape hole they were heading to. _"KISAMA!_" He took his axe and threw it – surprised, the pilot rushed back, but the axe planted itself firmly into one of her cannons and it exploded, sending her back. Using that opportunity, Yzak boosted his thrusters and followed Waltfeld and the rest out of Aprillius.

It was as hectic outside as it was inside. Mobile suits and Nazca-class ships were beginning to appear, and it took Yzak a split second to realise that the Unknown mobile suits (except for the Premium Gundam) were fighting on their side and they were actually battling _against_ ZAFT. Lacus's followers. _As expected_, Yzak thought darkly. He followed Waltfeld as they tried to get away from the side of Aprillius Four's wall, but Yzak suddenly spotted a Nazca-class ship locking its beam cannon on them. "Look out!" Yzak shouted.

The ZAFT battleship's cannon ignited, ready to fire at them, but a red flyer suddenly went through it and exploded. For a moment, everyone stopped, stunned, but Yzak knew what that thing was. He looked around and immediately spotted that damned crimson mobile suit – a gold Gundam was beside it; the Akatsuki. The flyer earlier was the Infinite Justice's Fatum-01 Backpack which Athrun must've detached from his mobile suit, sending it straight into the Nazca-class battleship.

His patience finally ran out. "_KUSOO! _How _dare_ you show your face up here, _KISAMA!_" Yzak shouted.

"_Y-Yzak..? Yzak?_"

"_Hey, Athrun. Looks like you came just in time."_

"_Dearka!"_

"_Athrun! You're late."_

"_Waltfeld-san! Lacus! Thank goodness you're safe..._"

Yzak snorted. Trust them to have their heart-warming welcome right here and now. "What do you think you're doing here, _kisama_?" Yzak shouted at the blue-haired Coordinator. He still had not forgiven Athrun for creating those damned Haros that had ambushed him a few days ago.

"_Hey, Yzak, I don't think we should worry about that right now_." Dearka sighed.

"_What happened? Yzak... Why are you in a ZAKU?"_ Athrun's voice was puzzled. Whatever he was expecting, it clearly wasn't this.

"Shut up!" Yzak snapped at him.

"_Like said, this isn't the time!_" Dearka reprimanded them both. He took out his gatling beam cannon, firing at the mobile suits that were beginning to pursue them.

"Kuso!" Yzak cursed, mirroring Dearka's actions. Whatever the reason the _kisama_ was here, he would settle things later. For now, they had to get Lacus to safety.

"_Waltfeld-san! Take her to the Archangel. Your Gaia is there,"_ Athrun informed, taking out his beam sabers and boosting his thrusters, immediately disabling the incoming mobile suits.

"_Roger!_"

"_No, you don't!"_ A mobile suit pilot shouted, and at the same time, a Nazca-class destroyer fired straight at Waltfeld's retreating ZAKU. Yzak's eyes widened as he froze on the spot, the beam inches from the ZAKU before a black and gold mobile suit slammed into it, its shield taking the impact of the beam before exploding, sending it and the ZAKU away.

"Destiny Gaia?" Yzak's eyes widened, recognising the new Gundam instantly.

"_Oy, have you lost your touch, Athrun?" _Shinn voice greeted them, as he took out his beam rifle and immediately shot down the mobile suits surrounding Waltfeld's GOUF.

"_Shinn!_"

"Shinn Asuka!" Yzak commanded, boosting his thrusters as he closed the distance.

"_General Joule! The Voltaire!" _Shinn's voice was surprised. At the mentioning of his ship, Yzak saw his Nazca-class destroyer firing its cannon, hitting the other ship's cannon that had fired at them earlier.

"Dearka! Hahnenfuss!"

"_Yes, sir!"_

Yzak boosted his thrusters and neared the _Voltaire_, noticing that Kira's _Aurora_ was flanking his ship as well. It was then that he spotted Sierra and Lunamaria's custom Enigmas fighting with Shinn, defending the two battleships. Yzak smiled slightly at that – finally, their forces were strengthening. But two Nazca-class destroyers and the Archangel against a large ZAFT force was still tough to beat. They already demonstrated that even breaking Aprillius Four was nothing compared to the need for Lacus's death. "_Voltaire_! This is General Joule speaking. I'm making an emergency land. Prepare my Hyper Duel, and the two custom Enigmas!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Area 4 (Present Day)<strong>

"Kira. Kira! Wake up," Ken's voice was loud, and Kira forced his eyes open as the red-haired Coordinator shook him.

"Let's go," Ken said, his hand grabbing Kira's wrist. He pulled Kira to his feet quickly and to their left, past the large clearing and down the other corridor that Kira had yet to explore. They went through the hallway and came to a smaller room – it looked like a changing room. "This used to be the room they used to get rid of any external germs that might have followed, but I guess you can call it a changing room now," Ken said, pulling one of the lockers open. He took out a blue pilot suit and helmet and turned to Kira, eyeing him for a moment before shrugging his black jacket off, throwing it to the brown-haired Coordinator. "You'll probably need this. You might feel a little warm, but it's for your own good. Wear that, and put this on," he said, gesturing to the pilot suit. "No questions."

"What's going on?" Kira asked, ignoring his command as he took Ken's black jacket and wore it over his black shirt. He wondered why he needed a jacket underneath a pilot suit. Never mind that, why was he even _wearing_ a pilot suit? As he stepped into the suit, he noticed that Ken seemed to be nervous about something. "Ken... Are you alright?" Kira asked.

Ken pursed his lips. "PLANTs is under attack. They're attempting an assassination on Lacus Clyne," he said.

The young pilot immediately froze, the image of the songstress coming to his mind. "_What?_"

"It happened sooner than we thought. I'm sorry. But it's time for you to leave us, Kira," Ken said, crossing his arms. "Hikari didn't like it, but this is what we took you in for. You want to go back, right? You will fight, right?"

"Of course!" Kira nearly burst out. "Lacus is in danger. I have to save her!" he cried out, clenching his fists.

"As I thought. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Kira answered, perplexed.

Ken led him through another corridor and they reached an elevator. They descended, and when the door opened, a large security door faced them. Ken moved to the controls and tapped into the keyboard, his fingers moving swiftly. Kira was already feeling apprehensive as he watched the other Coordinator. There was still so much he hadn't learned and didn't understand. The door slid open, revealing Daisuke and Hikari there. Hikari was seated at a control panel, tapping into the large keyboard and fiddling with the switches. "Come here, Kira," Daisuke said, holding his hand out. Kira walked towards him and he placed his arm around Kira's shoulders. The lights turned on, revealing a machine that was all-too-familiar for the brown-haired Coordinator.

"A... A Gundam..?" Kira gasped.

Daisuke nodded. "ZGMF-X30A Ultimate Freedom," he said quietly.

"Ultimate... Freedom..."

"This unit has been developed from your own Freedom, Kira. We did what we could do with the remaining parts – thankfully, your nuclear reactor was pretty much intact, so we could get this developed in the short time we had," Daisuke said, his eyes on the mobile suit. "There's a lot more that we couldn't get done in time, but this should be useful enough for you when you reach PLANTs. They moved sooner than we thought they would, and there's a lot we couldn't do. What we _did_ manage to install into this Freedom is an Antimatter Hyper-Propulsion Catalyst System. Activating that will activate an antimatter reaction within the Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor, enabling the Freedom to reach a speed at least three times as fast as its normal speed, but that ability only lasts for a short while. Use it to get to Aprillius," Daisuke advised.

"Antimatter?" Kira's eyes widened.

Daisuke nodded. "As the world is now, antimatter is already widely used – positrons, especially, in the form of cannons like the Archangel's Lohengrin. Scientists have discovered the way to creating antimatter particles, but they haven't yet to properly utilise it as a catalyst, and this is what I'm giving to you. Use it well, Kira, for the sake of this world."

Kira shook his head. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Daisuke's eyes softened. "It's just like I said, Kira. I want to believe..." he said, resting a hand on his head. "You are Via Hibiki's son."

"Who are you?"

The silver-haired Coordinator laughed. "There are many people with power in this world, Kira. Understand that. Power does not come to people without reason. In the world we live in now, power comes to those who are willing to fight for the same cause. Without support, you have no more power. Without power, there is nothing you can do. Learn that, Kira Hibiki!" Daisuke said firmly, grasping Kira by his shoulders. "Learn the true nature of this war, learn the true way of fighting your battles. Bring the change that you want to bring – if not because you are the Ultimate Coordinator, then because _you_ want it!"

Kira pressed his lips together, the determination coming to him. He nodded firmly. "Yes. But what will you do?"

Daisuke smiled. "My job here is done, Kira. But I have no doubt that we will meet again. My job is not to fuel war, so I will go into hiding once again, but please do not worry. We are fighting for the same battle. Maybe once you clear up this war, I can help rebuild the world again with my new invention," Daisuke said, smiling slightly. It was then that Kira saw Daisuke for who he really was – a runaway scientist, hunted by ZAFT and the Earth Alliance as well as those who hated him for what he had done...

"I promise," Kira vowed.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

G.U.N.D.A.M Complex

"Wow... This unit even comes with an Universal Communications Channel," Kira realised, activating the system. Though he had no idea what he might use _that_ system for. He pulled the keyboard out, activating the Ultimate Freedom's OS, his fingers moving through the keyboard instantly. _CPG setting complete. Neural linkage ion concentration nominal. Meta movement parameters updated. Nuclear reactor and power flow nominal. Antimatter hyper-propulsion catalyst system activated. Direct linkage to nuclear reactor formed, course set. Ultimate Freedom, system updated._

Kira raised his head, watching the man who had saved his life. Hikari was waving and Ken had his arms crossed, his face set. Daisuke raised his head, a signal of farewell, also telling Kira that he was clear to launch. Disconnect plugs. Activate phase shift. Boost thrusters.

"Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

Lacus watched from the ZAKU with worried eyes as the battle commenced. The two Nazca-class battleships (Yzak's _Voltaire_ and Kira's _Aurora_) made their way quickly to Archangel's side, but they were severely outnumbered. That wasn't all that Lacus was worried about. A few mobile suits from Factory had joined them, and she could not allow that to happen. It was probably too late already, but as soon as they moved away from Aprillius Four, she punched in the code to the special communication channel linking her to Factory. "Hilda-sama! Please make your way back to Factory!" Lacus commanded, her eyes unwavering.

"_What? We can't do that and leave you here!"_

"Please! You must!" Lacus pleaded. "Those mobile suits aren't fully ready for battle yet, and I wish to give Factory more time until they can be used. If we lose you, then it's over. Please trust the Archangel. This battle isn't for us yet," she said determinedly, her voice firm.

There was a brief silence on the other side. "_Very well. Everyone! You heard the True Songstress. Let's go!"_

The unknown mobile suits boosted their thrusters, whizzing past the Archangel and quickly escaping the battlefield. Those that pursued were immediately shot down by Shinn and Athrun.

"Archangel! I'm making an emergency land!" Waltfeld called as he piloted the damaged ZAKU nearer towards the hatch that was opening on the Archangel's right side. It wasn't the most graceful land ever and Lacus cried out as the ZAKU slipped, having lost one leg already, and it fell heavily to its side. Waltfeld caught the pink-haired songstress before she could knock her head against something dangerous.

"Thank you, Waltfeld-san," Lacus managed. The Archangel technicians pried the cockpit door open and Lacus climbed out, immediately spotting Cagalli. Cagalli relaxed instantly and rushed to Lacus's side, hugging her tight.

"You're safe. Thank goodness," she said as Lacus returned the hug.

"Prepare my Gaia! I'm going out!" Waltfeld ordered, managing a small nod to Cagalli before turning to run towards his mobile suit.

"Come on," Cagalli said, pulling Lacus's hand as she led her to the bridge.

The Archangel bridge was buzzing with energy. They ship was unable to move due to the number of mobile suits surrounding them, and Murrue was determined not to attack if at all possible. Even though they were most likely to be blamed for the battle, Murrue knew that it was essential that they did not attack back.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs (Present Day)<strong>

They were surrounded. Seven Nazca-class battleships flanked them, and the number of ZAFT mobile suits pursuing them was nearly uncountable. Athrun looked around and judged their situation. They found themselves sandwiched between PLANTs and the battleships, and it was beginning to seem as if trying to get Lacus away was impossible without fighting back. The pilots included Athrun, Mu, Waltfeld, Shinn, Lunamaria, Yzak, Dearka, Shiho and another pilot whom Athrun believed was from Kira's squadron, named Sierra. Mu, Lunamaria, Sierra and Waltfeld were busy defending the three ships, leaving only five pilots against the many mobile suits. It could be an easy battle, but they knew how important it is to refrain from killing anyone. It was a tough to manage with the numbers they faced.

Athrun cursed, shielding himself from the beams as the Premium shot him with its beam rifles. He clenched his teeth and lashed out again, but the mobile suit was fast. Athrun cried out angrily, his cannons locking onto the mobile suit just as she took out her remaining cannon and they fired at the same time, the two beams meeting and then exploding in front of them. Athrun boosted his thrusters as he tried to pull the Gundam away, but it continued to attack from afar. The ZAFT forces were not going down, nor were they decreasing. The Archangel members had turned back, trying to shake off the pursuing forces, but it was difficult. _"Kuso! _These guys are really persistent..." Athrun cursed, watching the fights taking place. If they could only escape...

What happened after that was beyond anyone's imagination. In the midst of the battle, a nuclear missile was launched, striking the damaged Aprillius Four. It was too quick and too unexpected. One moment they were battling, and the next moment, Athrun was thrown backwards due to the force of an unbelievably large and bright explosion, particular to that of a nuclear attack. He didn't know what had caused such an explosion, but he definitely did not expect a nuclear attack. The alarms rang deafeningly in his cockpit and he immediately detected heat signals coming from above them. Athrun looked up, his eyes widening at the sight of more nuclear missiles heading their direction.

"Shoot them down!" Athrun shouted, immediately taking out both his beam rifles and he began to shoot them all, almost simultaneously. But how many were there?

"_KUSOOO..!"_ Yzak cried out angrily. "_What the hell is going on?" _Yzak's Duel and Shinn's Destiny immediately appeared beside him as they, too, began to shoot down the nukes. The aims were accurate – the multiple shots hit the nuclear missiles at the same time, and Athrun was nearly blinded by the light from the explosion that threw them back yet again. It was impossible for them to get all the nukes, however, even as the Archangel fired its missiles and Valiants towards the nukes. Four went astray and made direct contact with four Nazca-class ships... one of them was Yzak's _Voltaire_. Athrun's breath escaped him as the large ship exploded in front of his eyes, the whole squadron wiped out in the blink of an eye.

"_VOLTAIRE!"_ Yzak's cry sent chills down Athrun's spine. He could feel the fury radiating from the Duel beside him as, with another cry of pure rage, Yzak boosted his thrusters to attack the Earth Alliance Windams that appeared above them. Athrun clenched his teeth together, boosting his own thrusters and he took his beam saber out, his mind registering nothing but pure anger as he made his way to kill those damned pilots who released the nukes. There were still others who hadn't fired their cannons yet. The image of his mother, of Junius Seven, came back to his mind. Those nukes might have been aimed at them, but Aprillius Four also took the damage. And because of _them_, the _Voltaire_...

"_Athrun! Don't!"_ Lacus's cry from the Archangel was ignored.

Athrun would have killed every mobile suit there from rage if not for the shots released by the Premium Gundam's beam rifle which he managed to dodge just in time. Athrun turned, his eyes fiery as he faced the Premium. "You..." he spat.

"_I want to live in a world where I don't have to fight."_

"_...I don't want to fight. Please don't make me fight..."_

It was a planned battle. Everything that had happened was a planned battle, since the assassination of Sirne Anfiel. No, not even that. It was planned since Yuri Amalfi made that declaration about RENEGADE. Athrun gripped the handles of his Justice tightly as he glared at the Premium. He barely registered the Earth Alliance forces coming close, attacking the Archangel members – some even attacking ZAFT. They were against both groups now, but Athrun was ready. He would eliminate every single mobile suit here for causing the damage and starting the war that they wanted so much. He gritted his teeth, the image of Kira coming to mind. Yes... He would have his revenge for these people who had killed his closest friend. The thought of fighting Kira's battle was gone from his mind now. Athrun was ready to kill again.

"_What's wrong? Nukes got your tongue?"_ The Premium pilot jeered. A female.

"I'll make sure you guys regret this," Athrun said, his voice quiet but menacing as he bowed his head slightly, his fringe covering his eyes. The alarms suddenly sounded in the Justice's cockpit and Athrun's head shot up in surprise. Another wave of nuclear missiles were heading towards them.

"_KUSOOO!_ You guys are _STILL FIRING_ those things?" Shinn shouted angrily, taking out his beam rifle.

He never got the chance to fire. Out of nowhere, multiple beams were fired and the nuclear missiles exploded, blinding Athrun's eyes once again. His Justice moved back as he covered his eyes. Athrun turned towards the source of the attack, aiming his beam rifle, his eyes widening as soon as he took in the familiar mobile suit. His finger froze at the trigger, unable to pull it as shock began to set with the blue-haired Coordinator. _What?_ _Impossible!_

Blue wings. White, blue and gold armour. Athrun felt his hands shake. "F-F... Freedom? _Kira?_"

* * *

><p><strong>ZGMF-X30A Ultimate Freedom (Kira Yamato)<strong>

**Unit Type: **Assault Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number:<strong> ZGMF-X30A**  
>Code Name:<strong> Ultimate Freedom**  
>Developed From:<strong> ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom**  
>Launched:<strong> 79 C.E**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> Unknown

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height:<strong> 19.55 meters**  
>- Empty Weight:<strong> 78.09 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Blue, White and Gold

**Power Plant:** Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armor**  
>Armaments<strong>  
>10 x ACNP-3X Ultra DRAGOON mobile weapon wing<br>- 2 x AX-327A Short Beam Sabers  
>- 1 x AX-243A Beam Boomerang<br>2 x MX-395A 15mm CIWS (mounted in head)  
>4 x MX-396A 20mm CIWS (mounted in chest)<br>1 x MX-904A Beam Assault Cannon (mounted on right shoulder)  
>1 x MX-906A Multi-phase Beam Cannon (mounted on left shoulder)<br>2 x MX-293A High-energy Beam Rifle (stored in hips)  
>2 x MX-000A Railgun (stored on legs)<br>2 x MX2300 Beam Shield Generator (installed on arms)  
>2 x AX-294A Beam Saber (mounted on hips)<br>2 x AX-395A Armor Schnieder (stored in legs)  
>1 x AX092 Anti-Ship Strike Sword (stored at back, able to create a beam coating)<p>

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Hardpoint for docking with METEOR<br>Ultra High-Mobility Aerial Tactics (U-HiMAT) System  
>Multi-Lock Weapons System ("Full Burst Mode")<br>Antimatter Hyper-Propulsion Catalyst System  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>Universal Communications Channel  
>DRAGOON system<p>

**Optional Equipment**  
>METEOR unit<p>

* * *

><p><strong>NEW TECHNOLOGY<strong>

**N-Absorber** - A feature unique to Heliopolis's new shields, "The Protectors of Heliopolis". It is a special device that enables high levels of gamma emissions to be absorbed and transformed into a different form of energy. It could even possibly hold up against a GENESIS equipment, making it a form of anti-GENESIS device.

**Antimatter Hyper-Propulsion Catalyst System** - A separate generator installed on the Ultimate Freedom, whereby the generator is able to generate antimatter particles used as a catalyst to the nuclear reactor installed. The reaction caused by the particles are then used to generate a tremendous amount of energy, giving the mobile suit the speed of three times its normal for a limited amount of time.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Ah, finally! Finally, we have reached this moment! For sure, that the long-awaited reunion will definitely happen in the next chapter. :D Chapter 5 is now updated with Ultimate Freedom's specs. I hope you all don't mind the long chapters - as long as the internet is down at home, I don't know how often I can update. I've honestly enjoyed writing this fic a lot, with all the dear readers out there. Let me again express my thanks to my reviewers - without them, I'd have little motivation to write like this. Thanks to the five who reviewed last chapter: AngelicFox12, sugarcarly and PrincessOfDestiny14, nxkris and San17! Also, as usual, thanks to those who favourite-d, alert-ed and read the fic! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and will wait for the next update. Please let me hear your thoughts, if you have any requests you'd like to make, or anything! Let me know what you think! ;D Please review!

**AngelicFox12:** I'm really, really happy you said that. XD Action is never my strongest point, so I'm really glad you liked that scene. It was a pretty awesome experience writing it, but there will be plenty more to come. :D In any case, thanks for your constant support! I really appreciate it.

**nxkris:** I think you'd work it out by now that ZAFT and EA will definitely battle against each other again in this fic now that Lacus has been pulled away from PLANTs. But it'll be their last battle. :3

**San17:** Thanks for your review in "Kira's Freedom"! :D Kira/Lacus reunion coming up next chapter, with a LOT of the characters interacting as well. :D I've done some research on Gundam WIKI for that, and I think I got it right. Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactors (equipped in Freedom/Justice) are more advanced than fission reactors because it is a hybrid system that uses deuterion conversion technology as well as a nuclear reactor. Freedom/Justice has the reactor where it draws the deuterion energy, which is a little different to Shinn's Destiny in GSD that uses a deuterion battery (which is why Shinn's Destiny once ran out of power). If you discover otherwise though, let me know so I can make the changes. :D Thanks as well!


	10. PHASE 09: Kira's Reunion

**PHASE NINE: Kira's Reunion  
><strong>

**C.E 79 PLANTs (Present Day)**

The new hyper-propulsion system was extremely fast, and that in itself was an understatement. Kira kept clear of the moon as he sped past in the Ultimate Freedom, not wanting to alert the forces from the Earth Alliance of an unknown mobile suit. He was genuinely surprised to find the Ultimate Freedom's interface very much the same as his previous Strike Freedom. He supposed, working hand-in-hand with Terminal, Daisuke must have had some idea about his mobile suit, and he regretted the fact that he couldn't learn more from the old scientist. Kira highly doubted that they would still be there in the Mendel Colony if he returned after going back to PLANTs. Daisuke himself had said that he would go into hiding, and Kira hadn't asked where he would go. Now, he wished that he had.

He travelled quickly, praying in his heart that Lacus was alright. He did not dare let his mind think of what might happen if Lacus left him. It was something impossible to think about, and Kira wasn't going to entertain himself with the thought.

A large explosion, taking the form of an unusual brightness that illuminated the darkness met his eyes as he neared PLANTs. Kira's brows immediately pulled together, knowing instantly that it was caused by a nuclear explosion. He gripped his controls, willing his mobile suit to move faster. Coming close, Kira could easily recognise the Archangel being pushed back against the PLANTs, and he spotted many Nazca-class battleships surrounding it. Two, his radar detected, were Yzak's _Voltaire_ and his own _Aurora_. A distance above them was an Earth Alliance fleet – one Agamemnon-class carrier and four Nelson-class battleships as well as many Windams that were making their way towards the group. Kira had just noticed them when several bright explosions blinded his eyes. He shielded his eyes and halted his mobile suit a good distance away from the battle, his heart pounding hard against his chest as he realised that Aprillius Four was gone. Not only that, the _Voltaire_'s signal suddenly disappeared from his radar as well.

"_Voltaire_!" Kira cried out, shocked.

Kira clenched his teeth together, his hands gripping the Freedom's controls tight. His anger was urging him to move, but Kira knew he couldn't act carelessly. His brows pulled together, assessing the situation as he breathed deeply. The nuclear attacks, without a doubt, must have come from the Earth Alliance Windams. The Archangel and the _Aurora_ were trying its hardest to disable the Nazca-class ships in an attempt to get away from PLANTs. He could see the Akatsuki and Gaia engaged in battle as it defended the Archangel, along with a number of Enigmas. There were two mobile suits that he could not recognise (one dark blue and grey, the other a mix of black and gold), and he could see Athrun's Justice as well. One of the unknown Gundams – a dark blue and grey close-quarters combat mobile suit – immediately launched itself straight at the Windams, shooting them down skilfully one by one. Kira's eyes widened in horror as Athrun's mobile suit launched at the same time towards the Windams as it moved away from the Archangel, its beam sabers instantly equipped, ready to strike, only to be blocked by another unknown blue and white Gundam. The ZAFT mobile suits also began to move after recovering from the shock, attacking both the Archangel and the Earth Alliance fleet.

Kira saw the nuclear missiles before the others did. Perhaps it was due to him being far out of the battlefield, or perhaps it was because he did not launch into the group of Windams that had fired their missiles earlier, but Kira immediately saw that the Windams had another back-up plan of wiping out the group below them. An image of a violet-coloured jewel exploded at the back of his mind and Kira immediately kicked into action. "STOP IT!" Kira shouted angrily, boosting his thrusters and activating the multi-lock weapons system as soon as they released the nuclear missiles. His Freedom locked onto the missiles and all the long-range armaments fired at once, detonating the missiles just before it could hit the other Nazca-class battleships. The darkness around them were once again illuminated by the brilliant light of nuclear explosions and Kira could see that both sides stopped in shock. He halted his mobile suit, anger coursing through his veins. Kira quickly switched the communications systems – thankfully, he had been with the Archangel and the_ Aurora_ long enough to know their private channels.

"Archangel! _Aurora_! This is Kira Yamato! Make your way to the debris field!" Kira commanded.

"_K-Kira-kun?_" Murrue's face immediately appeared on the screen, her eyes wide with shock. "_Kira-kun?_"

"Yes. Where is Lacus? Is she safe?" Kira demanded, the worry clenching his chest again as his eyes darted to the ruined Aprillius Four.

"_She's safe, she's with us,_" Murrue answered. She was a good enough soldier to know that the questions could be asked later.

"_Kira!_ _Kira Yamato!_" Athrun's voice greeted him, full of undeniable shock.

Kira switched the communications systems. "Athrun. We have to get the Archangel away_,_" Kira said, smiling slightly at his old friend.

"_It's really you... Kira?_" Athrun asked quietly.

Kira nodded. "Yes."

Athrun was silent for a few moments. "_I understand. The two Gundams are Shinn and Yzak, except for the blue and white one. Most of the Enigmas are our friends,_" he said, but Kira could see that Athrun was disturbed. He couldn't blame him at all. Considering that he still didn't know which was friend or foe, he would leave it to Athrun to deal with the mobile suits, especially those that came with ZAFT.

"Alright. Focus on getting the mobile suits away. I'll handle the ships."

Kira ended the exchange, aware of the others who were surprised with his arrival, but Athrun immediately took hold of the situation and told them of the plan to head for the debris field. The debris would slow them down, of course, but they would undoubtedly slow ZAFT and the EA much more with their large numbers. The element of surprise was in their hands, and Kira used that to his advantage. He boosted his thrusters, his Freedom immediately locking onto the main armaments of the battleships before firing at once. The mobile suits went to him at once but Athrun pushed himself in between instantly, skilfully disabling the mobile suits with his beam sabers before they got the chance to attack. Kira thanked Athrun silently and shot towards the next Nazca-class battleship, releasing all ten of his DRAGOON mobile weapon wings which fired instantaneously. The Freedom shot up and took out its anti-ship Strike sword, disabling the Earth Alliance battleships one by one.

From the corner of his eye, he could see the blue and white Gundam backing away from the battlefield, staying a good distance away but still close to one Earth Alliance Nelson-class battleship that stayed at the rear. It was the one that had fought with Athrun earlier. It did not seem as if it would fight back.

"_FREEDOM..!"_ An Enigma launched at him and Kira boosted his thrusters, narrowing his eyes at the white mobile suit. A few weeks ago, the pilot of the Enigma would be one of his comrades.

"Stop it! Stop fighting already!" Kira shouted angrily. He did not want the fight to continue. The Enigma, however, felt differently and immediately took out its beam sword, racing towards the Freedom at full speed, followed by a large number of ZAKUs. Kira clenched his teeth and exchanged his Strike sword for a beam saber, boosting his thrusters and aiming for the Enigma's thrusters, but the pilot was quick. He dodged, the Freedom's beam sword hitting his sword instead which exploded between them. The force threw Kira forwards and the Enigma threw its shield, hitting the Freedom directly at the back. Kira cried out as he was thrown forwards. He boosted his thrusters, turning sharply to face the Enigma again.

"_Kira!_" Athrun called, his Justice closing the distance quickly.

"_STOP_!" Kira shouted again, activating the hyper-propulsion system, both his beam sabers forming a double-sword. The Freedom seemed to disappear as it attacked, lashing out and cutting off the arms and legs of the Enigma, leaving the thrusters intact before charging at the confused ZAKUs. He disabled ten of them in less than a minute and used the remaining power to put himself between the attacking forces and the Archangel and _Aurora_. The beam sabers were stored and the Freedom locked onto the pursuing Windams, firing at their equipped instantly – the shock was enough to halt the blue and white mobile suits even though they still had the ability to fight. Kira could make out some of the Enigmas fighting against the ZAFT mobile suits, but even they seemed to have stopped.

The Ultimate Freedom backed away, turning to see that the Archangel and the _Aurora_ were quickly leaving the battlefield. There were more ZAFT and Earth Alliance battleships yet, but they did not pursue. Kira breathed heavily, his right side throbbing painfully. Sweat ran down his face, but he heaved a small sigh of relief as the battleships finally gave their signal flares to retrieve their mobile suits. Athrun's Justice appeared beside Kira's Freedom instantly, but Athrun said nothing. The mobile suits began to turn around, but a dark blue and grey Gundam was still fighting against the returning Windams, chasing after them and striking them. Kira's brows pulled together and was about to call out, but another voice cut him off first.

"_Yzak! Yzak, that's enough already!"_ Dearka's voice came from one of the Enigmas, immediately chasing the new Gundam.

"_Shut up, kisama!" _Yzak shouted back.

The Enigma slammed itself against the Gundam, but amazingly, Yzak did not fight back. Dearka held him firmly by the arm and pulled him away towards the _Aurora_. "_Stop it already..._" his voice was quiet. Yzak did not respond.

_The Voltaire_... Kira realised, immediately biting his lips. Yzak may have rescued Lacus from death, but he had paid it with a very high price.

"_Kira..?_" Athrun's face appeared on the screen.

Kira nodded, but he didn't look up. "Let's go," he said, boosting his thrusters towards the Archangel. The Justice followed from behind and Kira blinked the tears away as he saluted the floating debris from his retreating Freedom.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Debris Field – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

The Freedom docked easily with the Archangel, and Kira could see that quite a number of the crew, unsurprisingly, were waiting for him below. He could easily identify Mu, Murrue, Waltfeld, Cagalli, Murdoch, Miriallia, Sai, Kuzzey and Lacus down below. Kira was extremely surprised to see Sai and Kuzzey in the Archangel, but he supposed that they would be even more surprised to see him in the Ultimate Freedom. He deactivated the mobile suit and opened his cockpit, grasping the lever to transport himself down. He was aware of the Justice docking beside him as he did so. Once his foot touched the ground, Kira took a few steps forward, noticing that a few of the Archangel crews were armed. He relaxed and took his helmet off, regarding them all calmly.

Kira's eyes took in the group, finally resting on the one person he had been anxious to see. Lacus's eyes were tearful, her face displaying a mix of emotions. He could see the haunted look in her gentle face, the signs of someone who had not had enough sleep for days. She was dressed in a pink and white dress and not her usual Chairwoman attire, her hair tied back with a red ribbon.

"Kira..?" Lacus stepped forward tentatively, her azure eyes shining with tears.

Kira nodded once. "Lacus..." _I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..._

"Kira!" She was in his arms instantly and he was aware of the silent tears that ran down her cheeks as he embraced her. He tightened his arms around her, unwilling to let her go as he buried his face into her hair – he was more than grateful that she was safe and sound in his arms again. More than that, he was grateful of her acceptance after he had selfishly left her behind, almost killing himself in the process. "Kira..." Lacus whispered, her voice shaky.

"I'm sorry, Lacus," Kira whispered softly, pressing his lips against her hair. "I'm so sorry..."

"Kira..."

"No way! No way!"

The tension in the air was lifted immediately as the pink Haro floated past. Kira released Lacus and was nearly thrown off his feet as Cagalli launched herself at him, hugging him tight. "Cagalli," Kira said quietly, returning the hug. "You're all safe. Thank goodness," he sighed. He was truly, truly grateful to see that they were all still alive.

"Bakayaro! What the hell did you think you were doing?" Cagalli laughed and cried at the same time, and Kira did the same, releasing her to hug Lacus again.

"It's good to have you back, Kira," Mu said, clapping a hand on Kira's shoulder. "You're definitely a tough one to kill," he joked, his blue eyes twinkling.

"That's right," Murrue agreed, smiling affectionately at him.

They all greeted him warmly, glad at least that among the destruction that had just occurred, at least there was still something to be grateful about. A familiar robotic call took their attention and Kira was aware of Torii coming to him, circling above him before landing on his right shoulder. Kira glanced at it with a smile and spotted Athrun walking towards him from the corner of his eye, dressed in his usual red pilot suit with the helmet off. "You're late, Kira," Athrun said warmly.

Kira shrugged. "I guess so," he agreed.

"Well, there's a lot you need to tell us!" Cagalli piped up suddenly. "There's a lot we need to tell you as well," she said, pursing her lips slightly.

Kira nodded. He couldn't argue with that. Murrue stepped forwards, a hand on her hip. "Well, there are some repairs that needs to be done with the Archangel, and the crew should also be getting back to their stations," she said, eyeing Miriallia, Sai, Kuzzey and the rest of the Archangel crew members and technicials present, who immediately looked crestfallen. "Let's talk in my room," she said, nodding to Kira. Lacus, Cagalli, Athrun, Mu and Waltfeld would follow. Miriallia pouted, but Kira gave her a signal to tell her that they would undoubtedly catch up with each other soon. Her expression didn't change as she sulked, but it was apparent that she seemed to accept her duties better.

Kira went into the changing rooms first, along with Athrun, Mu and Waltfeld, unzipping the blue pilot suit he was wearing. He was all-too-glad to have it off, for the black jacket was beginning to feel hot against his skin, but he decided to leave it on. Tentatively, Kira pressed his hand against his right side, biting his lips slightly as he did so, but he decided that it was fine. There were more pressing matters at hand. They walked silently towards Murrue's office afterwards and settled around the seats available – Kira sat next to Lacus, taking strength from her presence so near to him at last. Athrun and Waltfeld decided to stand, and Mu perched on the armrest of Murrue's chair. Kira knew he would be the first to talk.

Once everyone was settled, Kira began. "I knew something was wrong as soon as Botswana was attacked," Kira said, his violet eyes steady as he addressed everyone in the room. "We knew that the order was never issued by ZAFT, so when Lacus and Yzak decided to head down to Earth to contact Washington, I decided to stay in PLANTs. I thought the Earth Alliance would strike, but I didn't know it would be so soon after Botswana. Maybe it was _because_ it was so soon that they attacked," Kira said, lowering his eyes slightly. "When Maius One and Two were attacked, the _Aurora _launched with the _Voltaire_. We received a report that the defence lines had already dealt with the mobile suits responsible for the attack, so we decided to check out the debris. There were many mobile suits missing, and that was when we were ambushed by the attack. They were Unknowns.

"I tried to take them in to ask why they were attacking, but the mobile suits self-destructed themselves before I had the chance," Kira said, clenching his fists. He was aware of Lacus whispering his name softly, placing a hand on his back to calm him. Kira took a deep breath. "One mobile suit tried to get away, so I chased him. And I learned from him that there was a fleet on their way to attack Orb. The communications were already jammed. I couldn't stay and do nothing. I equipped the Enigma with a booster and made my way to the hangar, and launched with the Freedom. I got there just in time. The forces were already on their way to Orb; I had no choice but to fight," Kira said, lowering his eyes.

"We saw the fight," Athrun said quietly and Kira raised his eyebrows in surprise as he turned his eyes on the pilot. "Yzak and Lacus had just arrived in Orb at the time. We were discussing what had happened when we were told that there was a broadcast of you fighting on an unknown channel. You were taken down," he said softly. "We traced the channel, but we couldn't find the source. All we knew was that when we saw the footage, you had been in battle for about ten hours."

Kira nodded slowly. He believed the fight had been one or two hours longer than that, but that information was unnecessary. "They were ready to take Orb down with those forces. I couldn't leave and do nothing, but at the same time, I couldn't fight without knowing what is going on. I disabled most of them. When the Freedom plunged into the ocean, I set it on autopilot to PLANTs and ejected just in time as they attacked. When I woke up, a week had passed by and I was in the deepest areas of the Mendel Colony," Kira said.

Lacus was surprised. "We checked that place during the last war. DaCosta-san said that the air has been sucked out completely," she said.

Kira shook his head. "I was taken in by a scientist and his two helpers: Daisuke Shen, and Ken and Hikari Sienth. Daisuke-san... knew my parents," he said, casting his eyes away as both Cagalli and Mu's face changed. "He was involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project in Mendel, and is probably the only one alive. There is a secret lab in Mendel, and that was where he took me. He found me at the shores in the United States of South America and nursed me back to health," Kira said slowly. Everyone in the room already knew of the secret of him being an Ultimate Coordinator – he himself had told Athrun, Cagalli and Lacus during the first war, and Murrue had learned from Mu. Waltfeld learned the truth later on.

"Then that unit..." Waltfeld said, arching an eyebrow. "That came from him?"

Kira nodded. "Daisuke-san said that he co-worked with Terminal. He showed me the footage of RENEGADE's declaration by Yuri Amalfi, as well as the footage of the attack in the Kingdom of Scandinavia," Kira said. He noticed that Athrun winced visibly when he mention Amalfi's name, and he wondered why. "When they found out that Lacus was being targeted, they sent me here immediately. But there's so much about them that I still don't understand," Kira said, his brows pulling together again in frustration.

"Sirne Anfiel was assassinated before the battle in the Kingdom of Scandinavia," Cagalli said, her voice firm. Kira had overheard that from the conversation between Hikari, Daisuke and Ken, but he never knew the details. "He was killed by a woman and two soldiers – we believe the soldiers were his guards. As for the woman, she's not a Natural. Washington was also bombed... a lot of civilians were killed, and the Earth Alliance joined RENEGADE," she said, her eyes deeply troubled.

"We knew that after Anfiel, it was a matter of time before Lacus was targeted," Mu said, crossing his arms. "We launched to Heliopolis after the battle. Looks like we were right," he sighed. "Really. Everything is a mess. We didn't expect the Earth Alliance to be there."

"The ones who attacked were from ZAFT," Lacus said, looking up. "They were ZAFT soldiers, except for one mobile suit that we didn't recognise. It was a Gundam."

"The blue and white one?" Athrun asked, remembering how it had stopped him from attacking the Windams earlier.

Lacus nodded. "There is a lot more that we don't know yet," she said seriously.

"The RENEGADE has a flagship. A second-class Minerva battleship that was reported missing from Maius One. There were two Gundams that were launched from that battleship called the Advocate and the Zantetsuken. Most likely, they're together," Athrun said.

"The Earth Alliance fleet attacked the ZAFT forces. I wonder what's going on," Murrue said, her eyebrows pulling together. Why would ZAFT try to assassinate Lacus, only to be attacked by the Earth Alliance? Was it just a coincidence that the two attacks happened at once? She highly doubted it. Seeing that the rest of the crew didn't have an idea as well, Murrue sighed. "In any case, at least we have cleared some things now that Lacus and Kira are here with us. Unfortunately, the Archangel was forced into the debris field earlier, and we had to take the right turn due to the forces coming from the left. We're going the long way around to Heliopolis," she sighed, moving her hand to her fringe. "We should be able to get past the moon without any trouble – at least I hope so."

Mu pursed his lips. "We'd be going past Lagrange Area 4 in that case. Kira, do you want to return to Mendel?" he asked.

Kira shook his head. "No. Daisuke-san told me that he was going into hiding. I doubt he's still there," he said, certain of himself. Mu only nodded and stood.

"In that case, we should get some rest. We'll be going past the moon very soon, and I won't be surprised if there's an Earth Alliance fleet waiting for us," he said darkly. "It's time we have a stroke of good luck though, so let's hope we'll get by peacefully." Murrue and Waltfeld also stood, nodding to Kira and the rest before exiting the room.

They followed soon after, in silence. Despite what had happened, Kira, Cagalli, Lacus and Athrun didn't know what to say to each other, each of them still thinking deeply about what had happened. Athrun was also worried about Yzak – he had seen the young General's reaction when the _Voltaire_ was destroyed. In fact, he himself was nearly consumed by his rage if not for the Premium Gundam that took his attention. They walked, and as they reached the sleeping quarters, Athrun glanced back and noticed something very wrong with Lacus. Kira was aware of it as well, and he glanced at Athrun, his eyes saying everything.

Athrun stopped suddenly. Cagalli halted and raised her eyebrows at him. "I forgot to tell Captain Ramius something," Athrun said, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "_Kuso._ Come on, Cagalli," he said, grabbing her arm and turning back hurriedly.

Cagalli was surprised. "H-Hey! Athrun! What are you doing?" she asked, trying to pull her hand back. But even she knew that struggling was futile. Athrun could be unbelievably strong when he wanted to, and she was easily being led away. "Athrun!"

She was pulled along the corridor, past Murrue's room. When he was sure that they were out of earshot, Athrun stopped, his eyes apologetic. "Sorry, Cagalli. I thought they needed some time alone. Lacus looked really..." he trailed off, unable to find the right word to describe the pink-haired songstress.

Cagalli relaxed immediately. She had seen it as well.

.

Kira held Lacus's hand, leading her into one of the sleeping quarters that he knew was shared between her, Cagalli and Miriallia. It was, as he had expected, empty. Lacus was surprised. "Kira? Is something wrong..?" she asked in her gentle voice, her azure eyes worried. Kira couldn't help but admire her courage and strength.

Kira led her to the bed and sat down beside her. "I'm fine," he said firmly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are _you_ alright, Lacus?" he asked, his voice just as gentle. Kira knew how strong she could be in hiding her sorrow. He knew how much she would try to keep to herself.

Lacus stared at him and eventually bowed her head, hiding her azure eyes behind her fringe. "Kira..." she trailed off, turning her face away. Kira decided to remain silent. Breaking the silence would mean that she would keep everything to herself, so he said nothing. Gently, he placed an arm around her reassuringly, his other hand moving to push her fringe away from her eyes, waiting for her to speak. The silence lasted for a long while, and Kira was about to think that she didn't want to talk at all before she suddenly whispered; "Why..?"

"Why what, Lacus?"

She seemed to shrink back further. "Why is this happening again..? Kira... I want to ask you why you disappeared. I want to ask you why you went alone. I want to ask you why you never told me you were alive. But... I know why," she said, biting her lips. "I want to know why this is happening. Why are people fighting again? Why are we crying again? Why is the world so hard to be peaceful?" she asked, her shoulders shaking. "I know why... But... I still want to ask..." she trailed off.

Kira pressed his lips together. Slowly, he placed his right hand against her left cheek, turning her face so her azure eyes could meet his. "It's alright, Lacus," Kira said softly. "Even when you know the answers, you can still ask. You... You don't need to be so strong anymore," Kira said truthfully, his voice shaking. "I'm still here. I'll protect you. And... I'll always return to you. Always. So don't worry... You don't need to be so strong anymore, because we're together. And we'll fight together," he said gently. He remembered how Lacus had taken care of his broken self during the first war, and was always strong, no matter what came her way. This time, it was his turn to be strong for her.

The tears escaped from her eyes and he hugged her tightly as she sobbed into his chest, quietly asking, again and again, why it was happening and why he had gotten into the Freedom and left her. Kira stroked her calmly as she cried, saying nothing. They both knew the answers to her questions after all. He didn't even hush her – Kira merely held her, stroking her repeatedly as she cried after keeping herself strong for so many years, and allowed her tears to flow. A part of him hated himself for not being able to stay by her side, for not being able to help her more. Since the end of the last war, Lacus had stepped in as the provisional Chairwoman of ZAFT and PLANTs, doing her best to try and keep the peace. She had fought, and she had lost him when he was forced to battle alone for Orb. He had no doubt that she had been challenged by the Council as chaos ensued, and her own soldiers had tried to assassinate her... Aprillius One was taken down as a result, and the _Voltaire_ was lost trying to protect her.

Carefully, Kira lifted her from the bed, taking her in his arms as he held her close. He rested his chin on her head, soothing her with gentle strokes as he tried his best to comfort her.

She stopped crying eventually, her shoulders trembling from time to time as she tried to get a hold of herself again.

"Lacus..?" Kira called her quietly. He could sense that she was falling asleep.

"Yes..?"

"I'm sorry," Kira said eventually, and he felt her body relax slightly. "I love you, Lacus..." he whispered quietly

Lacus froze, her eyes widening slightly, but she couldn't see his face. She didn't dare look up. Throughout the years, they had been close to each other, but not exactly in the way she knew Cagalli and Athrun were. They had depended on each other, hanging on like a lifeline as they helped each other through the war. She had always loved him, of course... and she knew he felt the same... but they had never said so due to the nature of what had brought them together. The aftermath of war and the reality of what they were forced to face kept them from trying something that might be too much for their broken selves. The tears fell from her eyes again as she took his hand in hers. "...I love you too, Kira..."

Kira covered her with a blanket a while later, stroking her gently as she slept. He kissed her briefly on the cheek and knew that the sorrow would remain with her for a long time still, but he would be there for her. He would be strong for her, as she had done for him for so many years. Kira straightened, his hand moving to his right side as he did so, feeling the dull throb of the wound he had received from the battle with the Strike Freedom. He breathed deeply and walked out of the room, surprised to see Cagalli and Athrun there, along with Pink Haro that bounced up and down cheerfully. They were talking quietly, and Athrun's back was resting against the wall. Cagalli turned as soon as she heard the door slide open, her eyes concerned.

"How is she?" she asked.

Kira smiled slightly. "She's sleeping. She really suffered a lot," he said, pained that he could not take the sorrow away from her. "Will you stay with her, Cagalli?" he asked. He was worried, but he knew better than to stay for too long in the girl's dorm. Thankfully, Cagalli seemed to understand. She wanted to rest herself and after hugging Kira once more, she bade both Athrun and Kira goodnight as she entered the room with Haro, assuring Kira that she would look after Lacus. Kira smiled and Athrun shrugged at him. They walked away.

"Your new unit..." Athrun began.

"ZGMF-X30A Ultimate Freedom," Kira said, not at all surprised that Athrun wanted to know about it.

"ZGMF?" Athrun repeated, his eyebrows raised. "It's from ZAFT?"

Kira shook his head. "I don't think so. But the reactor is the same from Strike Freedom's. I could still make out the Nazca-class ships earlier. That unit is equipped with an antimatter hyper-propulsion catalyst system," he said, noticing that Athrun looked well surprised.

"Antimatter..? I wonder who he is, that guy..." Athrun trailed off, shaking his head slightly.

"I don't know," Kira answered. He could feel the frustration yet again. There was so much that he still didn't _know_. Putting that aside, Kira was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. His right side was throbbing painfully and he stopped, putting his right hand out against the wall to support himself as he breathed.

"Kira?" Athrun was in front of him at once. Kira was once again amazed by his friend's ability of thinking, able to put pieces of a puzzle together quicker than anyone he knew. The blue-haired Coordinator's hand shot inside his black jacket, resting against the wound. Athrun's brows pulled together immediately as he felt something hot and sticky underneath and did not need to pull his hand away to know that it was blood. "Come on," Athrun said, taking Kira's left arm and putting it around his shoulders as he led Kira to the infirmary.

Kira wondered why he hadn't noticed beforehand and realised that his shirt was black, hiding it from view. The jacket was waterproof, but apart from that, it was also black. Ken's voice echoed in his mind; _You'll probably need this. You might feel a little warm, but it's for your own good_. Kira couldn't help but smile slightly. Had Ken known? He must have.

The door of the infirmary slid open and the doctor immediately stood as Athrun helped Kira onto a bed. The Archangel was a large ship, but the crew members were so close to each other that news and gossip always spread like the plague – the whole ship was already aware of Kira's return, along with the rough details on how he had survived. The jacket was removed instantly and the shirt taken off. The bandages covering the wound was soaked in blood, but it looked worse than it really was – Kira had healed a lot in Mendel, after all. The wound had reopened, but it could be worse. Still, the doctor wasn't about to allow Kira to escape from a lecture. As Athrun helped, he ranted about mobile suit pilots and how they shouldn't battle and push themselves too hard after nearing losing their lives, muttering angrily about how it didn't matter whether one was a Coordinator or a Natural. Kira wanted to answer and say the situation couldn't be helped, but he knew better than to argue. The doctor, too, knew that it was futile to lecture them, but he did so anyway.

"You should rest. No funny business with the mobile suits for now," the doctor reprimanded as he finished bandaging the wound. He checked the rest of Kira's body, but the other cuts were either already healed or were healing nicely and only needed a change of bandages.

Kira smiled. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I'll rest in my room. I'm fine, really," he pressed just as the doctor opened his mouth to argue. "I promise, I'll rest," Kira said truthfully.

The doctor sighed. "If it has to be in the dorms, then so be it," he said, clearly not happy with the idea. But Kira should be fine if he looked after himself, so he allowed it to pass.

"Thank you."

Athrun helped as Kira stood and they exited the infirmary together. "You don't want Lacus and Cagalli finding out, do you?" Athrun guessed knowingly.

Kira couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed at that, but it was the truth. "They have other things to worry about," he said. "In any case, sorry. And thank you," Kira said guiltily, but Athrun waved it away. They entered their dorm and Kira was surprised to find it empty. _I guess Sai and Kuzzey are still on their shifts,_ Kira thought. He would catch up to them later. He had just begun to notice the exhaustion that weighed him down. Athrun helped him into his bed and it only took him minutes to fall asleep.

The blue-haired Coordinator was surprised, but his gaze softened as the reality of having Kira back came to him. Injured and tired, Kira still came back. He still survived. He still wanted to fight. Athrun moved to the bed next to him, watching as Torii circled above them. His gaze turned back to the brown-haired Coordinator and he decided that tonight, he would keep Kira company, just in case. Athrun showered, taking his time with the hot water, wanting to kill time more than anything else. He dressed himself in plain clothes and washed the black jacket Kira had been wearing earlier, removing the blood stains that were there before finally going back to the opposite bed.

Athrun, on the other side of the room, watched as Kira slept soundly. He laid down on the bed next to the brown-haired Coordinator, sighing to himself. He knew that once again, he would be facing a sleepless night.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Debris Field – <strong>_**Aurora**_** (Present Day)**

The terrible thing about being a soldier was that they had shifts. Yzak had docked his Duel into the _Aurora_, along with Dearka and Shiho's Enigma units. The Aurora crew welcomed him warmly enough, and Laniel was there to receive them, resting a hand on Yzak's shoulder and apologising for the loss of the_ Voltaire_. Yzak said nothing. The _Aurora_ faced minimal damages and it followed the Archangel through the debris field. It was safer to stay among the ruins there than to risk another attack after what had happened, after all. Yzak had tended to his Duel and shook his head and said he knew nothing when questions were raised about that damned Kira Yamato. How was he to know anything? He was as clueless as the rest on the _Aurora_ and finally snapped at those who asked and said that they would find out when they reached Heliopolis.

For a few hours, he managed to keep himself busy with odd jobs that even began to drive Laniel insane. Eventually, the knowing Captain hinted quietly that Yzak should get some rest. Yzak had wanted to shout at him for giving _him_ orders, but then he remembered that not only was he on Laniel's ship, they were also no longer real ZAFT soldiers, having turned their backs on them just a few hours ago. So Yzak stomped away and now found himself on the viewing deck of the Nazca-class ship. He exhaled loudly, frustrated with himself. His thoughts were everywhere. Worse, he was alone, and the images of the nuclear missile hitting the _Voltaire_ came to him again. Yzak crossed his arms, his eyes on the stars outside, beyond the pieces of debris that formed the ugly ring around the Earth. His anger soon gave way to sorrow.

Yzak heard her enter, of course. He knew it was Shiho because the damned pilot did not leave. Anyone else would have left, knowing how irritated Yzak was currently and how his temper would just get them in trouble. But Shiho, of course, knew how to irritate him and she stayed. At least she was one of the squadron members who survived.

"Commander," Shiho said, her voice just a few steps away from Yzak's back. Yzak didn't respond. Shiho, too, remained silent as they grieved for their loss squad mates.

"Have I let them down, Hahnenfuss?" Yzak finally asked, his voice barely audible, as if he was asking the question to himself.

Shiho's eyebrows raised slightly. She moved and stood beside him, her eyes on the debris that floated past them. "If you did, they wouldn't have come," she said quietly. Yzak said nothing. "If I may say so, Commander, I know that the squadron is loyal to you and they were happy to stay loyal until the end. They were ready to follow you to where it led them, even if it meant turning against ZAFT to join the Archangel."

"Even if it led to their deaths?" Yzak asked coldly.

"Yes," Shiho said, not even hesitating with her answer. "With all due respect, Commander, the _Voltaire_ was already prepared for death as soon as they left to join you. You refused a place as a Council member or even a place in the military headquarters and continued to do white-uniform duties and led your squadron while assisting Chairwoman Clyne as her personal advisor. The squadron places a great deal respect in that," she said, receiving a snort in reply. "They willingly followed your orders, and even when they weren't there to guard Chairwoman Clyne's house, they appeared in the _Voltaire_. If I may say so, Commander, I'd say they died without regret."

Yzak was silent. Shiho knew she had hit a nerve. "I refused a place in the Council because it's not my place to use my powers there when there are still fights going on," Yzak said quietly.

"And that is why we followed you."

"Then you're all stupid."

"With pride."

Yzak bowed his head then, his shoulders shaking. Shiho peered from the corner of her eye, almost surprised at the tears that were running silently down his cheeks. She pressed her lips together slightly and turned to face him. "Please don't regret fighting for something we believed in. You were the one who could lead us to it, so we followed. There's no shame in that," she said softly, taking a risk by placing a hand on his shoulder. Yzak turned his head away, the tears still running down his cheeks as he cried for his lost squadron. His responsibility. His legs eventually gave way and he slid onto the floor, cursing again and again. The tears began to fall from Shiho's eyes, the reality of their lost comrades sinking in. She crouched in front of the purple-uniformed General and rested her head against his shoulder as she, too, cried for the _Voltaire_.

Outside, Dearka peered in and watched them as they cried. He raised his eyes to the ceiling as he rested his back against the wall, eventually closing them as he breathed deeply.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Debris Field – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

"Torii..?"

The call was quiet, and goodness knows, Kira had heard it for too many years. But his eyes opened slowly at the familiar sound and he realised that he was sleeping on his left side, facing Athrun's bed. The top bunk was empty, and Kira could sense that the bed above him was unoccupied as well, signalling that Kuzzey and Sai were both still on duty with their stations. Athrun, however, was on his bed, but he wasn't sleeping. Instead, he was sitting, his left side resting heavily against the wall and his eyes on the green bird that looked at him quizzically, perched on his knees. Kira blinked again and sat up.

"Athrun?" he asked

The blue-haired Coordinator turned his head and gazed at him, almost as if he wasn't seeing Kira at all. "Kira? You should go back to sleep," he said, but even his voice seemed faraway. No, that wasn't it, Kira realised. Athrun sounded... _tired_. Defeated. Silently, Kira stood up and moved to sit on Athrun's bed. He realised that Athrun looked haunted. He also knew that there was no point asking whether he was alright or not, so Kira jumped to the next best question;

"What's wrong?"

Athrun said nothing. That wasn't surprising, too. Kira had known him long enough to know that Athrun, in many ways, was like Lacus when dealing with problems.

"Why are we still fighting?" Athrun finally asked, almost as if the question was a funny one, but his voice was dull. Kira sighed silently. It was a question they were all asking themselves. "That man you saw... Yuri Amalfi. His son... was my comrade," Athrun said quietly. He didn't have the heart to tell Kira that it was Nicol, whom Kira had unintentionally killed during the first war. "He was killed during the first war. And his father... that man... I knew him. In many ways, he shares the views of my father, especially after his son died. Radical views," Athrun half-laughed to himself. "I never expected him to do something like this."

"Athrun..."

"I snapped earlier, Kira. After they fired the nuclear missile to Aprillius Four... and then when the_ Voltaire_ was hit. I lost it. I wanted to kill them. I wanted to put a stop to it all, Kira. I nearly killed all of them, if it wasn't for that Gundam that distracted me. But even then, I was ready to kill her, too. And I knew that once I did, I'd kill the rest of them," he said, his voice quiet. Kira noticed that Athrun was clenching his fists tightly. "I saw that battle you faced. I saw what they did to Scandinavia. I wanted it to stop. And I was ready to kill all of them to make it happen. At that time, I hated them..." he said, clenching his teeth together.

Kira felt deep sorrow. He himself shared those feelings Athrun shared. He, too, was tired of the war and wanted it to stop.

"I nearly tried to avenge your death, Kira. I came so close to it. So close to become like Amalfi-san. Like my father. Everything came back to me at the time..." Athrun shook his head, dazed. "Your mother was there when I broke the news of your death to Captain Ramius and Commander Flaga. She was worried about me when I first arrived, but I couldn't do anything for her. I couldn't even do anything for Cagalli, for Lacus, for Yzak, for you... I knew you were fighting when you were already about to die. I felt... hopeless."

Kira wanted to speak. He wanted to reach out and talk to him, but he knew he should stay silent. All these years, these were the things they had always wanted to say to each other, but didn't out of fear of what it might do to the fragile friendship. All the bottled feelings were finally being let out, and Kira could only sit and listen as he spoke.

"I didn't believe you died," Athrun said, half-laughing to himself. "I didn't want to. I couldn't. I never apologised for trying to kill you with the Aegis," Athrun said, gripping his blankets tighter in his hands as the image of Yuri Amalfi came to his mind. "All this time, even during the second war, I fought to keep you away from fighting. So we can have a peaceful life. But it seems useless. What use were those fights anyway?"

"Athrun," Kira said quietly, placing a hand on the other Coordinator's shoulder.

Athrun raised his head, the tears flowing down his cheeks instantly. "I came so close to killing them, Kira. I remembered my mother... and Junius Seven. She has always been on my mind, all these years. I miss her, Kira. And I nearly fought to avenge her," he said, his shoulders shaking as he cried. "Kill because somebody was killed... Get killed because he killed... You think peace will ever come like that?" Athrun whispered, quoting what Cagalli had told him before.

The tears flowed down Kira's cheeks. Athrun wasn't the only one who missed Lenore Zala. Back in Copernicus, he had regarded Lenore Zala as his own mother, just as how Athrun had regarded Caridad Yamato as his own. When he had discovered that Athrun had been fighting because Lenore was killed in Junius Seven, it had affected Kira deeply. He was fighting with those responsible for the death of a person whom he had regarded as his own flesh and blood. It made fighting Athrun all the more difficult at the time. "I miss her too, Athrun," Kira said quietly, and Athrun's shoulders shook harder.

"I'm sorry, Kira."

"I'm sorry, too..."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – <strong>_**Aurora**_** (Present Day) – Kira & Crew**

They arrived in Heliopolis safely. That night, Kira and Athrun had talked and cried like never before as they each poured out those sealed feelings that they had kept quiet since they became enemies during the first war. Sometime during that night, Athrun had fallen asleep, and Kira watched his friend, finally resting, for a few moments before climbing back onto his bed, closing his eyes and drifting away himself. He woke when Murrue announced that they were docking in Heliopolis and Kira had showered, dressing himself in plain clothes. He had glanced back at Athrun, still sleeping, and decided that he would leave the blue-haired Coordinator that way. He doubted that Athrun had had enough sleep these few weeks, knowing him. Watching Athrun the night before after they had talked and cried, Kira noticed that his old friend now had a slightly tranquil look on his face, as if a large burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and that was enough for him... for now.

When Kira met Lacus and Cagalli at the bridge, he told them that Athrun was sleeping. They exchanged surprised glances, both knowing how impossible sleep was for the pilot, and immediately decided that Athrun could sleep longer if needed. Miraculously, the Archangel was able to dock in Heliopolis without any trouble, and they decided to stay there on stand-by until they hear more news about RENEGADE. Kira decided to take that opportunity to go to the _Aurora_.

As soon as he entered the Nazca-class ship, he was ambushed by Laniel who threw his arm around Kira's shoulder.

"Kira! Bakayaro! You don't know how to stay dead, do you?" Laniel greeted warmly, grinning despite himself. "And here I was, hoping that I'd be promoted as a Commander in your place, but ZAFT had been too busy to look it over," he sighed.

Kira laughed at that. "How is the _Aurora_?" he asked. He couldn't see Yzak, Shiho or Dearka anywhere.

Laniel shrugged. "It's fine, don't worry. I've taken good care of it," he said, steering Kira towards the mobile suit hangar. "HEY! Shinn! Come down here!" he called.

Kira's eyebrows were raised as he took in the two new Gundams in front of him, as well as the four Enigmas. Last time he checked, only he and Yzak were piloting Enigmas. Shinn's head poked out from one of the Gundams' cockpit and he brightened instantly when he saw who it was. "Commander!" Shinn called, grasping the lever and transporting himself down. "How are you, Commander? We all thought you were gone for good," he said. "Maybe you finally found a worthy opponent," he smirked.

"The Commander is too good for that, isn't he?" another voice joined them. Lunamaria and Meyrin walked over – Lunamaria looked as cheerful as ever. "Good morning, Commander!"

"Good morning, Lunamaria, Meyrin," Kira replied. "Those units..." he trailed off, his eyes on Shinn's Gundam.

Shinn turned and followed his gaze. "Lacus-sama assigned us these units through the Clyne Faction," he said. "ZGMF-X19X Destiny Gaia and General Joule's ZGMF-X20C Hyper Duel," he said, gesturing towards the two Gundams. "The Enigmas were given to Captain Elsman, Lieutenant Hahnenfuss, Lunamaria and Sierra."

"With custom weapons!" Lunamaria beamed at them.

Kira couldn't help but smile as he took in the new mobile suits. He'd have to look at their specifications later. He turned and faced them. "Thank you," he said, surprising them all. "You were willing to fight for what you believed in, even when it meant turning away from ZAFT... I was really surprised," he admitted. "In any case, I'll run it through with Cagalli later to let you all off the _Aurora_ so you can walk around Heliopolis," he promised. Meyrin and Lunamaria brightened at that considerably. They had launched so unexpectedly the night before that they hadn't been able to prepare themselves.

Shinn, of course, couldn't really care less about getting off the _Aurora_. "Commander... What will we do now?" he asked.

Kira shook his head. "For now, we stay put and watch what RENEGADE will do next. We'll decide once we know what's going on," he informed.

"Well, whatever happens, we'll defeat them for sure," Shinn said confidently. He then pursed his lips and looked at Kira who was casually wearing plain clothes. It wasn't a sight he was used to, and it wasn't one that he really liked. "By the way, Commander, your uniform should be in your office."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Morganroete (Present Day) – Athrun &amp; Shinn<strong>

Athrun was surprised to find himself alone when he opened his eyes. He was even more surprised when he glanced at his watch and noticed how many hours had ticked by while he was sleeping. The ship was silent, and didn't seem to be moving – Athrun decided that they must've docked at Heliopolis at last, thankfully without any problems. He relaxed in the shower, allowing the steaming hot water to loosen his muscles as he thought back to what had happened last night. For the first time in years, he could say that he felt truly at peace. All the conflicts he had in the past, and now in the present, were finally let out to the one person who really knew him best. Athrun smiled slightly at the thought. They had been close since they were little, and it was comforting to know that despite all that had happened, nothing changed their friendship.

Athrun stepped out of the shower and dressed in his Admiral uniform. It was white and blue, and looked very much different to the red ZAFT uniform he had worn years ago. He had been proud of himself when he had been given that uniform back then. Athrun shook his head and exited the dorm, looking around. He decided to head for the bridge.

Unsurprisingly, Murrue was there when he arrived. She told him that Cagalli had gone out with Lacus, but that they would return soon. When he asked about Kira, Murrue shrugged and said that Kira had gone to the _Aurora_ earlier, but that she did not know where he was now. In any case, the _Aurora_ crew members seemed to have gotten permission from Cagalli to enter Heliopolis. Athrun nodded and made his decision – he would go to Morganroete's Area Three.

Athrun knew, of course, that quite a number of _Aurora_'s crew members were those from the previous Minerva he had joined during the last war. He rarely got the chance to meet them again, but he knew that they were doing fine. His affiliation with Shinn, therefore, remained as awkward as ever. Once, when he had stumbled against Lunamaria in PLANTs, she had reported to him that Shinn seemed to be behaving better with Kira as his Commander. Sure, he had been difficult at first, but Kira was Freedom's pilot and was already a person whom Shinn respected. Athrun smiled slightly. He knew it went beyond that. While Athrun was quick to fight back and argue, Kira was more accepting and relaxed. In a way, Athrun supposed that Kira would have a similar effect on Shinn as Rey had. He highly doubted that Kira often had fights with the black-haired pilot as he had before.

When he heard that the _Aurora_'s crew had permission to enter Heliopolis, Athrun had assumed that Lunamaria and Meyrin would immediately find themselves in the biggest shopping complex. Shinn, he guessed, would most likely stay aboard. So he was surprised when the doors to Morganroete's Area Three opened, revealing the black-haired Coordinator there, looking down at the work below.

"Shinn," Athrun called despite himself, surprised more than anything else.

Shinn's head shot up and he turned. He, too, looked surprised upon seeing the blue-haired Coordinator. "Athrun..." Shinn trailed off.

Athrun relaxed and smiled, moving to stand beside him. He rested his arms against the railings, looking down at the two large shields. "They're big, aren't they?"

"Ah..." Shinn answered, turning to look at them again. "Protectors of Heliopolis, huh..?"

"If the plan goes well, there will be two ships that will be developed for them. We're placing a lot of hope on Heliopolis to keep the world peaceful," Athrun said quietly.

"I don't really understand... why RENEGADE is wrong with its ideals," Shinn admitted.

"Then why did you join _Aurora_ against them?"

"B-because..." Shinn stammered, almost angry that he asked the question. "If I didn't, Orb will..." he trailed off and turned his eyes back to the shields.

Athrun couldn't help but smile. "I'm glad." Shinn looked up in surprise, but said nothing. "Sometimes, we fight without knowing the reason why. We fight because, at the time, we feel that it is the right thing to do. But on the way, if we realise that we're wrong, we turn around and fight again," he said. Shinn understood that, of course. Athrun did that during the last war – first fighting for the Chairman, then turning his back and joining the Archangel when he discovered that he was fighting for the wrong thing. "If RENEGADE can truly provide a peaceful world with what they're saying, then maybe they are right after all. But honestly, I doubt that what they are doing are right, if it means attacking those who don't agree with them," Athrun said, remembering his father.

"But..! If it's for the peace of both sides, then shouldn't we step down?"

"Peace for who? Coordinators? Naturals? Then, what about those who wishes to live with both?" Athrun challenged. Shinn was silenced. "I don't think either side would feel safe as long as they still distrust each other," Athrun said darkly, after a moment.

Shinn nodded. He agreed with that, of course. "Athrun –"

"I hope you'll fight with us, Shinn," Athrun said, cutting Shinn off. Shinn raised his eyebrows. "As it is, the Earth Alliance is currently fighting due to their hate against Coordinators. But will they really stop once Earth is cleared of Coordinators, or will they keep on attacking still? And for the Coordinators who are born on Earth, is it really fair to tell them to leave Earth just because they need to separate from one another?" Athrun questioned, silencing the other. Athrun turned and walked towards the steps that would lead him down to the working area of the place. His eyes seemed sad. "I really hope you'll lend your power to fight for peace between Naturals and Coordinators, Shinn. Peace doesn't come with both sides hating each other, even if they're kept apart," Athrun said, walking away.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis (Present Day) – Dearka &amp; Miriallia<strong>

When they docked at Heliopolis, the first thought that entered Miriallia's mind was Dearka and his crew. Her worry and concern made her forget about her tiredness and as soon as Murrue allowed them to leave the ship, she found herself boarding off the Archangel while Sai and Kuzzey decided that they would catch up on their sleep. Miriallia was more used to manning the stations, of course, having stayed with the Archangel longer than the two, so it was hardly surprising that they were still finding it hard to adjust. To her, today was one of the lighter days, and they managed to get to Heliopolis from PLANTs just fine even though they were forced to take the long route past Lagrange Area 4. Miriallia bit her lips as soon as she boarded off the ship, wanting to see Dearka, but already facing problems. For starters, she had never entered a Nazca-class ship. She also did not know whether Dearka was sleeping or not... or even if he was in the ship or not. She nearly kicked herself for her impulsiveness.

Thankfully, luck was on her side. The Nazca-class ship's main door opened and Dearka stepped out, clad in his black ZAFT uniform. He looked like a walking corpse and stopped as soon as he spotted Miriallia in front of him. A small smile crossed his lips and he raised his hand in greeting. Miriallia turned to face him and shrugged with a light smile.

They walked together quietly, both saying nothing, until they reached the deserted viewing deck of the Heliopolis hangar overlooking the large cities below. It was just beginning to lighten in Heliopolis, and Miriallia breathed in the fresh morning air gratefully.

"This place... It's different to what it used to be," Dearka commented, much to her surprise. He leaned forwards, resting his arms against the railings. "It's better than it was last time," he admitted.

"You've been to Heliopolis?" Miriallia asked, raising her eyebrows.

Dearka nodded. "Not under the best circumstances though. We were sent here on a special ZAFT mission during the first war to capture the Gundams they were developing for Earth Alliance."

_Of course... He was Buster's pilot,_ Miriallia remembered. She never knew he was one of the pilots sent to steal the mobile suits, however. "I lived in Heliopolis during the first war," Miriallia said lightly. "We ran when ZAFT attacked, but Kira was forced into the Strike. We were forced onboard the Archangel because we witnessed a top secret of the military."

The blonde-haired Coordinator laughed slightly. "Really now? I guess I need to say sorry for destroying your home, then," he said, but Miriallia shook her head, dismissing the apology. They both knew what being soldiers were like, following orders and fighting for unknown causes.

They fell silent again. Miriallia bowed her head, the memories coming back to her. Tolle had been alive back then, of course, and had bravely defended Kira when Kira was discovered to be a Coordinator. A small smile passed her lips as she remembered him, but over the years, she had grown accustomed to the dull ache in her chest, which gradually became lighter. She risked a glance at Dearka and noticed that he, too, seemed to be deep in his thoughts as he watched the cities wake up below.

In truth, Miriallia did not know how to view her relationship with him. She felt something, of course, and for a few months, she stayed with him in PLANTs as she worked as a freelance photographer. But they had always balanced themselves between being friends and lovers. As far as she knew, Dearka was not seeing anyone else, and she, too, had not had a proper relationship since Tolle's death. Most of their friends assumed that they were together – at first, Miriallia had corrected them and said that she had nothing with Dearka, but as the years passed by, she stopped doing so and wasn't sure why.

"The _Voltaire_..." Miriallia found herself saying and she bit her lips when Dearka looked at her. "It's your ship, isn't it?"

Dearka nodded. "Ah... I guess you can say it's really Yzak's ship than mine. I'm only second-in-command," he shrugged, his eyes dull.

"I'm sorry..." Miriallia whispered. She couldn't blame him for looking surprised at her apology. "Are you alright?"

He shrugged. "I guess so. When you're a soldier, you expect things like this," he said bitterly.

Miriallia didn't buy it. "Even if you expect it, it doesn't stop you from grieving," she said quietly.

"I guess so," he agreed finally. "Yzak seemed more frustrated about it than I am," he said. Miriallia looked at him. "I don't blame him, actually. I was about to kill them myself earlier... But what good will that do? It's not like they would come back. Besides... I'd probably be doing what they want me to do if I attack them back. And then they'd probably separate the Coordinators and Naturals once and for all," he said darkly. "The way things are now, a part of me doesn't even give a damn if that happens. I'd be fighting to avenge my squadron, but I wouldn't be joining their battle."

"Dearka..."

"Miriallia... Can you give me a reason why I should fight?" Dearka asked quietly, his eyes faraway. "Rather than having the Coordinators and Naturals continuing their fight, they should be separated to put their minds at rest. We won't need to worry about each other again, and I can stop giving a damn about them. Give me a reason why I should fight against that," Dearka said bitterly.

Miriallia lowered her eyes. She could not blame him for saying such things. She only had one reason to persuade him to fight, but she could never be selfish to ask him something like that. She would never ask someone to risk themselves on the battlefield... Risk being killed, like Tolle had been... When she looked up again, Dearka was facing her, his violet eyes deep with sorrow. Miriallia nearly blurted out her reason then, but she held herself from doing so. _No... You can't do that to him..._ she thought. "Dearka..."

"Will you be my reason to keep on fighting, Miriallia?" he asked, surprising her. "If I don't fight... If I let them have their way... I won't see you again. I won't be able to protect you anymore," Dearka said, raising his hand to touch her cheek lightly. Miriallia found herself blushing slightly. "I... I like you, Miriallia. And I want to have you in my life, always. I want to keep on fighting for that," he said, casting his eyes away.

The tears fell from her eyes and she shook her head, managing a small smile. She was truly surprised to discover the warmth in her chest upon hearing her words. In the end, no matter how much she had denied it, she loved him, too... "In that case, I'll have to fight for the same reason too, haven't I?" she asked, her voice light and cheerful amidst her tears.

Dearka's eyes widened and he looked at her in surprise. "Miriallia..."

"I... I like you, too, Dearka," she said, bowing her head. Her cheeks were truly red by now. _Rest peacefully, Tolle... I'm okay now..._

She was pulled into an embrace as soon as the words left her lips, and Miriallia found herself hugging him back, the tears running down her cheeks. She had grieved long enough, and it was no lie that she did feel something for the blonde-haired Coordinator. Dearka shut his eyes tight, refusing to let the tears flow as a feeling of deep joy was mixed with his sorrow. He would keep on fighting... He would fight the battle that his squadron had died fighting for. He would fight to be with her.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Viewing Deck, Archangel (Present Day) – Athrun, Yzak, Dearka &amp; Kira<strong>

"Yuri Amalfi, huh..?" Dearka said quietly, almost as if the fact was hard to believe – which, in a way, it really was. "Honestly..."

They were at the Archangel's viewing deck – Athrun, Yzak and Dearka – and once again felt the biting loss of their old comrade, Nicol Amalfi. Athrun shrugged and Yzak snorted, turning his head away. They were both angered with how things had turned out. Yzak seemed to be back to his old self again, but even Athrun noticed the small change in the young General's eyes. After what had happened with the _Voltaire_, Yzak seemed to have... matured. A part of him had definitely changed.

Athrun sighed. "I had been planning to visit PLANTs a few weeks ago, just before the chaos. I wanted to visit his grave... Rusty, Miguel..." _Heine... Mother..._ "I don't even know if I can do that now," he said resentfully, his eyes cast away.

Yzak exhaled loudly. "To fight against Amalfi-san against all people," he said darkly.

Dearka shrugged. "It can't be helped. We searched for him in PLANTs," he told Athrun. "We couldn't find him."

"Of course we couldn't!" Yzak snapped. But he, too, was disturbed and wished to find the man himself.

"It's a mess," Dearka sighed.

Yzak's eyes slid to Athrun. "Oy... Does Kira know?" he asked.

Athrun shook his head. "I told him that Amalfi-san is a father of a comrade, but I didn't say it was Nicol." Knowing Kira, if the knowledge ever came to him, he'd most likely blame everything on himself as he normally did. Athrun couldn't allow that to happen if he could help it. Yzak nodded slightly.

"Think Nicol would be here, or with his father?" Yzak asked, crossing his arms angrily.

"Here, probably," Dearka guessed. The other two couldn't help but agree.

The door slid open and Kira stepped in, finally dressed in his white ZAFT uniform again. Yzak glared at him and stood, immediately taking him by the collar and pushing him back. "_Kisama!_ What are you doing alive for?" he half-shouted at the surprised Coordinator. Dearka sighed and Athrun stood.

"Yzak!" Athrun reprimanded, but unsurprisingly, he was ignored.

"It's _that_ hard to kill you, is it?" Yzak sneered, but there was no denying the small warmth in his eyes in getting his comrade back.

"Y-Yzak!" Kira managed, releasing himself from his grip. The silver-haired Coordinator exhaled loudly and sat back down, crossing his arms angrily. Kira moved over to sit with them. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly. "I'm sorry... about the _Voltaire_..." he said, the grief unmistaken in his voice.

Yzak snorted, deciding not to answer. Judging by his behaviour, however, they knew that Yzak was as fine as he could be under the circumstances. "We'll still fight," Dearka decided to answer, much to Yzak's annoyance.

Kira smiled. "I see," he said, lowering his eyes. "That's good."

At that moment, Dearka, Yzak and Athrun exchanged glances and shared one thought: Kira might have killed Nicol, but he definitely was not responsible for what had happened. Not in the least.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Cafeteria, Archangel (Present Day) – Kira, Athrun, Sai, Kuzzey &amp; Miriallia<strong>

Kira and Athrun parted from Yzak and Dearka a few hours later. The latter two went back to the _Aurora_ while Kira and Athrun made their way to the Archangel cafeteria. Kira had originally wanted to head to the mobile suit hangar to begin the maintenance work on the Ultimate Freedom, but he was stopped by Athrun who insisted that he needed to eat. Kira couldn't blame the blue-haired Coordinator, of course. He pretty much forgot the last time he had a meal, and it was only when Athrun had mentioned the idea of food that Kira realised how ravenous he felt. They walked together, both dressed in white uniforms, and entered the cafeteria to see Sai, Kuzzey and Miriallia there, just about to eat. The three brightened considerably upon seeing the brown-haired Coordinator.

"Sai! Kuzzey! Miriallia!" Kira greeted.

"Long time no see, Kira," Sai said as Kira and Athrun sat opposite them with their trays. "Are you alright?"

Kira nodded. "I'm fine. How have you been?"

They exchanged news then, recounting all that had happened since they last parted from each other. Though Kuzzey was the first to leave the Archangel, he had still visited the crew often enough after the second war and thus had no real news to give them, apart from his desire to fight with them again for the peace in their world. Miriallia looked unusually cheerful and when Athrun hinted about Dearka, she blushed furiously and reprimanded the blue-haired Coordinator, also saying that she would kill Dearka for telling. They laughed then – Dearka had not said anything, but it was so glaringly obvious when they returned from Heliopolis's viewing deck earlier. Kira briefly recounted what had happened in Mendel, but they were already aware of it. It was Sai who spoke longest, explaining about his studies after the first war and how he had been living in the Kingdom of Scandinavia.

"I was really surprised when they came under attack," Sai said quietly as Athrun stored away the now empty trays. "In a way, I'm really glad I decided to join the Archangel again. At least I can still fight for that country. They've helped me a lot," he said, lowering his eyes. Athrun moved to sit next to Kira again, remembering the devastation they had faced after the harsh battle.

"It's not over yet," Kira said, the determination evident in his violet eyes. "We'll keep on fighting for what we believe is right," he said.

Silence hung over them afterwards and eventually, Kira and Athrun stood, deciding that they should head to the mobile suit hangar. Just when Kira was about to step out, Sai's voice reached his ears, making him stop; "Kira. I'm sorry."

Kira was surprised. He turned, his eyes raised as he regarded his friend. "Why?" Kira asked, truly puzzled.

"I actually came back to the Archangel to apologise to you, Kira. For everything. Coordinators... are really different to Naturals. I always view them so differently to us that I never knew what it must have been like for you during the war. And when I knew what Fllay was doing..." Sai turned his head away. "I didn't know what to do. I blamed you, when I shouldn't have. I assumed the war didn't hurt you as much, because you're a Coordinator. On the other hand, Fllay was scared and confused..." he sighed deeply. "All this time, I kept myself away, but I've always been angry. At myself... At what had happened. I'm sorry, Kira. You were my friend, and I should have been better," Sai said quietly.

Kira's eyes softened and he stepped towards his old friend, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. Sai looked up, surprised to see that Kira was smiling sadly. "I'm sorry too, Sai. But... I'm glad," he said softly, the smile remaining on his lips. "Even after all that had happened, we're still fighting the same battle. I'm glad we can talk to each other like this again. We're still friends. Thank you," he said, turning and walking towards the door again. It slid open and Kira paused, bowing his head. "Actually... Naturals and Coordinators aren't that different at all," he said quietly, walking away, the door shutting behind him.

"Kira..." Sai whispered. How typical was it for Kira to forget everything and be grateful that they were friends?

Athrun's eyes was on the closed door and he turned and gazed at the three. "That girl... Fllay," he said, remembering back. The girl who had been captured by Creuset, then given the key to end the war.

"An old friend of ours," Sai said, sitting down. He kept his eyes on the table. "Our parents arranged our engagement, but her father was killed during the first war – the ship exploded in front of her eyes. Fllay was always frightened... she was scared, insecure, and she hated Coordinators. She was scared of them. But Kira had always been fighting for us, and she knew that. She got close to him, asking him to fight for our safety. She used him," Sai's voice was filled with anger and sorrow, his fists clenching tightly.

"I was surprised when she stopped seeing Sai at first," Kuzzey said quietly, crossing his arms. "I didn't expect Kira and Fllay to get together like that. Kira had always been fighting... He had always cried, and Commander Flaga found him sleeping in the Strike's cockpit many times," he said, remembering the time when Kira had been struck by a fever, crying out in his sleep.

"War turns people into terrible things," Sai said bitterly. Miriallia looked away, unable to say anything. Even she had acted beyond what she thought herself capable of, attacking Dearka with a knife after Tolle's death. "Fllay was just frightened. But still..." he sighed.

"I see..." Athrun said softly, finally understanding.

"_I don't want to fight you, Athrun... But... My friends are on that ship!"_

"_I hurt her, Athrun... She's someone I need to protect..."_

Without another word, Athrun exited the cafeteria and looked around, but Kira wasn't in sight. He knew where the Coordinator had gone to, of course. Athrun turned and walked towards the mobile suit hangar, once again amazed with what they were all forced to face during the war. He entered the lift, sighing deeply to himself as he thought back to what Sai and Kuzzey had told him. The doors opened and Athrun walked over to the Ultimate Freedom, spotting the open cockpit door. He wasn't even surprised. He walked over to an electronic platform nearby and fiddled with the controls until he was level with the cockpit. Athrun climbed inside and sat down on the open door, looking inside. Kira was busy typing on the keyboard, his fingers moving quickly as he adjusted the mobile suit's OS. He was already aware of Athrun's presence, of course.

Seeing that Kira didn't want to talk, Athrun yawned loudly. Kira's eyes flickered to the blue-haired Coordinator and a small smile tugged at his lips. He knew what Athrun was hinting at. "I never hated her," he said, his fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard. "Any of them. But... I wish there was more that I could do. All the people I killed... All the people that died... They didn't want to be there, too... They have families, and dreams. They laugh and cry, and they have strengths and weaknesses. We're all the same."

"Ah..."

"Naturals. Coordinators. In the end, we're still human beings," Kira sighed, storing the keyboard away. He couldn't concentrate.

Athrun looked at him then and realised that he could offer no words to comfort his old friend. As Kira had done to him the night before, Athrun could only stay and listen, because sometimes, that was all a friend needed.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Mobile Suit Hangar, Archangel (Present Day) – Kira &amp; Lacus<strong>

"Kira?"

The gentle voice broke his thoughts and Kira looked up from the control panel of the mobile suit hangar, turning to his left where Lacus stood, her head tilted to her side slightly with a small smile on her lips. Not long after Kira had talked to Athrun, the blue-haired Coordinator had left him to tend to his own Justice that had been damaged slightly from the attack in PLANTs. He was in the Justice's cockpit now, working through the controls. Kira had just finished editing the Ultimate Freedom's OS and was now running the machine through the Archangel's system – the first procedure had just been completed.

"Lacus," Kira greeted, extending an arm towards her. She walked towards him, half-hugging him. Torii circled them, gaining Haro's attention and they were soon bouncing away as they played together. Kira smiled.

"You've been here all this time, Kira?" Lacus asked kindly.

"Yes," Kira nodded. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Thank you," she answered, turning her azure eyes on the Ultimate Freedom. "This is the Ultimate Freedom?" she asked. Kira nodded and she beamed at him. "It looks like a strong unit."

"It's not that different to the Strike Freedom," Kira said truthfully. In terms of weapons, the Ultimate Freedom gained two extra DRAGOON units which also came with two short beam sabers and a beam boomerang. The Ultimate Freedom's legs also stored a pair of Armor Schneiders which were a form of assault knives similar to that equipped in the Strike Gundam that were folded like switchblades and did not use any beam energy. The Ultimate Freedom was also equipped with an extra anti-ship Strike sword. "Daisuke-san said that it was developed from the Strike Freedom. They must've recovered the parts after the fight," he realised, smiling slightly.

"I see," Lacus said quietly as she stared at the Gundam.

Kira looked at her face, peaceful and kind, and he immediately felt the guilt clenching his heart. He bowed his head, his fringe covering his eyes as he did so. "Lacus... I'm sorry," Kira said quietly, biting his lips.

Lacus was surprised. "Why are you apologising, Kira?"

"I broke your sword," Kira said, clenching his fists. The Freedom and the Strike Freedom were two units that Lacus had personally given him, and it was destroyed in the battle in the South Atlantic Ocean. "I'm sorry."

"Kira..." Lacus reached forwards, gently pushing his hair away. He risked a glance at her and saw that she still held the serene smile. "A sword is not necessarily something that you see there," she said, gesturing towards the Freedom. "A sword is what is in here," she said, resting her hand against his chest, her azure eyes soft. "If you give a sword to someone who cannot fight, then the sword does not turn into a weapon. It is not used to protect. Only if you give it to someone who fights, then it becomes a weapon and used to protect. And when the fighting stops, the sword is also gone," she said kindly. "The sword that I gave you is still here, Kira. Right here," she said, her hand pressing against his chest, where his heart was located. "Your reasons for fighting... And your desires to protect those you want to protect... They're still here, aren't they?" Lacus asked gently.

Kira could feel the tears threatening to escape. "Yes..."

"Then, do not be sad, Kira," she said, leaning forwards to press her lips against his cheek. "Your sword is your sword. It cannot be changed or replaced."

Kira clenched his teeth. "Daisuke-san... He said he saved me because he wanted to believe... Because I am an Ultimate Coordinator," Kira said, surprising himself that he was telling her this. But it had been constantly in his mind, the confusion he felt. "He said I will fight because I am the Ultimate Coordinator."

Lacus shrugged lightly. "Is that so?" she asked. "But Kira... You fight because you are you. You are an Ultimate Coordinator... But you are also Kira," she said softly, surprising him. He raised his eyes to meet hers and a tear fell down his eye, which she wiped with the gentle caress of her fingers. "It's alright, Kira," she whispered softly.

Athrun transported himself down to the ground from his Justice a few feet from where they stood. He had heard their conversation, of course, and he extended his arm to Cagalli who had entered the hangar just a few moments ago, in time to listen to their talk. Slowly, Cagalli walked over to Athrun and he placed his arm around her, their eyes turned towards Kira and Lacus wordlessly.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> An unexpected stroke of luck allowed me to upload this chapter today. :D This chapter is written purely for the characters. I think we all need a break from the action and cool down a little with some character interaction. XD For a reunion that we've been waiting for for so long, I hope this chapter was satisfying. I tried my best with how I thought the characters would react, so apologies if there are some OOC-ness – especially with the first Kira/Lacus scene. I know she's unbelievably strong, but even the strongest of us can break. Aprillius Four fell because of her, and Kira miraculously came back from the dead – I can't help but doubt that she could take all that had happened with a firm stride. To Shinn/Luna fans, their moments will come later on once they get more cameo. :D Let me know if there are any parts which you found unsatisfying – I can get back to it when (if) I revise this fic later on after completion.

Anyway, I thank you all so much for the reviews! Thanks to my reviewers for the previous chapter(s): WaaWaa, SugarCarly, PrincessOfDestiny14, AngelicFox12, nxkris, rebirth-flame, Sleepyreader319, GeneralTao01 and skepsis66! I also thank those who favourite-d, alert-ed and read this fic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter – as usual, please let me know! :D

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><p><strong>AngelicFox12:<strong> Thanks! I want to see this fic until the end as well. My mind has been adding so many ideas, it's hard to keep track. I don't really know how it'll turn out myself. XD I was really annoyed with the Cagalli issue - I kept on wondering if she's a Coordinator, but all the Gundam websites listed her as a Natural, so I think that what Daisuke said would be the most acceptable answer.

**nxkris:** You're perceptive. XD I'm still fiddling with the idea of having a more powerful Freedom, but we'll see where it goes. :D

**rebirth-flame** (Chap 1-3): Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to write the reviews! :D I loved reading them, and the feedback really helped a lot. In the first chapter, I think I meant old comrade as in an old friend. But maybe my wording is incorrect. T.T I haven't heard about a plan for a sequel to GSD, but I hope they make one. I wasn't satisfied with the ending to GSD at all. And I do agree that Athrun was a complete idiot in GSD, but I kinda felt sorry for him as well. XD Glad you liked the third chapter!

**Sleepyreader319:** I love Dearka/Miriallia, and they are a couple in this story, but the problem with them is that they're always apart. T.T It's tough trying to write when they're always away from each other. I try to write scenes for them whenever possible, as you've seen with this chapter. :D

**GeneralTao01:** I'm glad you don't mind the long chapters. XD Let's hope the internet will return soon. In any case, thanks for your review, and I hope you liked this one!

**skepsis66:** Fuzzy and warm? XD That was hardly the reaction I thought one would take, but I'm glad you liked it! And thanks for the feedback! :D I thought it would be easier to understand to have both sides explaining the plot to avoid confusion. :D


	11. PHASE 10: Traitor, Betrayer, Deserter

**PHASE TEN: Renegade... Traitor, Betrayer, Deserter  
><strong>

**C.E 79 – Location Unknown (Present Day)**

Commander Oern Aiten was a calculative man. Being positioned at the very top of the RENEGADE project, it was important for him to maintain a calm and practical appearance at all times to ensure that all objectives regarding RENEGADE was met. It did not matter in what manner the objectives were accomplished, as long as they _were_ accomplished. That was how he had always viewed things, and that was probably why he was placed in charge of the project. However, it irked him when those working with him did not appreciate the objectives that were met only due to the nature in which it was achieved. One such person was in front of him right now – or, more accurately, displayed on the screen right in front of him. He stared with bored eyes at Yuri Amalfi who seemed to be seething in anger for the tragedy involving Aprillius Four. He had already burst out with fury and an endless rant earlier about the Freedom, but now his anger was focused to the Earth Alliance.

"Tell me why they attacked, Aiten! The goal was to _assassinate Lacus Clyne_, not to cause destruction for Aprillius Four. That Earth Alliance… we should have seen that they would turn their backs against us like this!" Amalfi spat hatefully, his eyes burning with accusation towards the calm Commander.

Oern sighed, running a hand through his long hair. "You seem to not have realised that, even with the fall of Aprillius Four, our objectives were met."

"Lacus Clyne is _ALIVE_!" Amalfi shouted.

"The ultimate goal of wanting to assassinate her was so you could rise in PLANTs and lead PLANTs to follow RENEGADE's ideals," Oern said, narrowing his eyes. "She was rescued by the Archangel, and Aprillius Four was destroyed. Those are facts, and it cannot be helped. But look on the brighter side of things. It was planned that the Earth Alliance would take blame for the assassination, which was why we stationed their forces there, but would the story seem convincing without any casualties? The fact that she was saved by the Archangel showed that she trusted them more than she trusts ZAFT. You need to twist this situation to your advantage," he said as-a-matter-of-factly.

Amalfi pursed his lips, considering this. "She would be a liability, however," he grumbled, still unsatisfied.

Oern shrugged. "The _Archangel_ is a liability, but the _Renegade_ is there to deal with them. All in good time, Amalfi. The most important thing now is to allow ZAFT to finally retaliate so we can break away from the Naturals. The Archangel would most likely seek refuge in Orb, but with both sides now wanting to eliminate the neutral nations, how long do you think they will last?" he asked coolly.

Amalfi narrowed his eyes. "You seem to forget that the Archangel was responsible for ending both wars previously."

"I did not forget," Oern frowned, his patience running thin. "But during the previous wars, ZAFT and the Earth Alliance were fighting against each other. This time, we are working hand-in-hand in making the RENEGADE a success. Complete separation between Naturals and Coordinators," he said, smiling slightly.

"They betrayed us by destroying Aprillius Four."

"The only way they would have betrayed us at that time was if they weren't there to take the blame," Oern pointed out coldly. Amalfi was silent. As usual, the Commander was right.

"Very well. You will arrive on Earth soon?"

"As soon as possible," Oern confirmed. They ended the exchange and he slumped back on his seat, sighing deeply as he gazed at the black screen. Yuri Amalfi struck him as the type of person who did not know exactly what they were dealing with: When working with a double-edged sword, one must always be weary of being stabbed in the back.

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><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Archangel, Viewing Deck (Present Day)<strong>

"Cagalli."

Cagalli turned in surprise, a smile immediately appearing on her lips as her brother, a brown-haired Coordinator, walked towards her. Two days had passed since they rescued Lacus from Aprillius Four, and Cagalli was finally beginning to believe that Heliopolis definitely had enough personnel to defend the colony – perhaps not for absolute victory, but still enough to fight for their strong ideals of neutrality. She had been extremely busy these past few days, and was glad that things had calmed down somewhat, at least for these few hours. She had not even had a proper conversation with Kira after he came back from the dead, and she was glad for his company now. Cagalli was aware of Lacus and Athrun following the Coordinator into the Archangel's viewing deck – Lacus went to sit, her hands playing with her Haro, while Athrun hovered near her. Kira moved to stand next to Cagalli.

"Are you alright, Cagalli? I'm sorry. You've been working hard all by yourself again," Kira said, smiling apologetically at her.

Cagalli elbowed him playfully. "Don't worry about it – I'm fine," she said reassuringly. She inhaled deeply, feeling the warmth spread around her body as she felt him close to her. Kira had always had a comforting presence, and she was glad that he was still with her. "We haven't really got the chance to talk," she said, almost sulkily.

Kira laughed slightly. "I guess so. But you're always so busy."

It was Cagalli's turn to give him an apologetic smile. She shrugged lightly. "I guess. I'm really glad though, Kira. I find it hard to believe you're actually here," she admitted.

"Me too, Cagalli," Kira answered truthfully. It was hard for him to accept the fact himself… that he was alive, that he was now back with them, fighting in yet another war… but at least he wasn't alone. He had his squadron fighting by his side. More importantly, he had his comrades who had stayed by his side since the first war, always fighting through the hardest paths to achieve peace. Kira cast his eyes out of the window, watching the technicians of Morganroete outside. He wondered if one day, they would be able to finally settle down and stop worrying about another war. "Daisuke-san told me a lot about our mother," Kira said, a small smile forming on his lips.

Cagalli raised her eyebrows. "Is that so?"

Kira nodded. "Our mother's name is Via Hibiki… and our father is Ulen Hibiki. They were great Naturals who were trying to find an answer in getting the Naturals and Coordinators to work together… pretty much like what we're trying to do now," Kira said, glancing at Cagalli with a smile. "Our mother was… kind… and loveable. She really loved us," he said, remembering the gentle look in Daisuke's eyes whenever he talked about Via. "I asked Daisuke-san about you as well, Cagalli. About… about your genes. He told me that you're a true Natural… that your genes were never modified," Kira trailed off, turning his eyes turning back outside. In a way, he envied Cagalli. Life would have been so much simpler if he was a Natural… Kira probably wouldn't even be fighting if that were the case. But at the same time, he wouldn't want to Cagalli to go through what he had gone through. He would willingly take up this burden if it meant keeping her away from it.

Cagalli's eyes softened and she bowed her head slightly. "I see…" she trailed off. "It would have been nice if we could have known them," she said truthfully.

"Yes…"

"Did you ask him the other question?" Cagalli asked suddenly. Kira raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked at her. From the corner of his eye, he could see Athrun gazing at her curiously as well.

"What question?" Kira asked, dumbfounded.

Cagalli huffed. "You didn't ask?" she frowned. "You should have found out which of us are older!" Kira and Athrun stared at her and exchanged a glance before bursting out in peals of laughter. Cagalli's brows pulled together, immediately clenching her fists in anger. "What are you laughing about? Athrun, too!" she snapped, annoyed.

Kira held his side as the laughter died away. "Honestly, Cagalli, I think it's obvious that I'm older than you," he said cheerfully.

"_What_."

"I think so, too," Athrun admitted, coming to her side with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He had debated about this many times with the golden-haired girl, and couldn't help but see her childishness and impulsiveness as being a trait of a younger sibling.

"Ara… I think Kira is older as well," Lacus suddenly piped up.

"Lacus, too?" Cagalli grimaced. "I don't think so! I'm definitely the older sibling!" she protested angrily.

Kira shrugged. "We don't know, do we?" he said, grinning at her. The grin changed, and Kira smiled apologetically at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't ask him about that. But it's possible that we might have been born at the same time," he suggested, noticing that Cagalli seemed to accept that grudgingly.

"Fine," she sighed, crossing her arms.

Athrun chuckled and walked over to the large screen of the viewing deck, turning it on and switching through the channels as the two twins continued to talk about their biological parents. He supposed, in a way, he did sympathise a lot with Kira. Unlike Kira, Athrun had always known his parents even though he had never really met his father back when they were in Copernicus. Patrick Zala had always been in PLANTs and never lived with them on the moon, but Athrun had always respected him as a father. Caridad Yamato, of course, was a wonderful mother – Athrun could say so for sure, of course. His mother, Lenore Zala, had been a scientist working with the agricultural department of PLANTs and was therefore always busy. It was Kira and Caridad who took him into their home and cared for him when his mother couldn't – Caridad had always been a second mother to Athrun, and admittedly, he missed regarding her in that way.

"I managed to contact Orb yesterday," he heard Cagalli say as he switched the channels, trying to find something of interest. "I told your mother that you were alive, Kira, and explained the situation. Reverend Malchio said that she wouldn't stop crying," she said quietly, her voice gentle.

Athrun turned his gaze to Kira. The brown-haired Coordinator looked torn, his eyes cast away with his left fist clenched. "I see… Thank you, Cagalli," he said, smiling sadly. "I've really put her through a lot," he sighed.

"It's okay. We'll go and see her as soon as we can," Cagalli said, trying hard to be optimistic. Kira smiled at her, grateful for her efforts.

"…_An attempted assassination was done on former provisional Chairwoman of PLANTs, Lacus Clyne, two nights ago…"_ Athrun's eyes immediately turned back to the screen and Kira appeared by his side instantly, his eyebrows pulled together. Athrun turned the volume up and they listened. _"Eight of the Council members of PLANTs were also targeted in a series of bombings around their homes yesterday, leaving two injured and six dead. Among those that were killed were Alice Slent of Januarius City, Spencer Ahent of Februarius City, Kiako Aicen of Maius City, Pisne Ami of Junius City, Peter Gills of Sextillis City and Loane Ai of September City. Paul Meisn of Martius City and Cheir Laisn of November City survived the attack with grave injuries. Bombs were also located in the houses of the remaining four Council members before they were detonated…"_

Kira gritted his teeth in anger. "Apart from Paul Meisn of Martius City, the ones they listed are all those with neutral views," he said, his brows pulling together.

Athrun nodded – he had noticed it as well. "It's no coincidence that those representing Quintillis, October and December weren't targeted," he said, his fists clenched tight.

"_Following this, the Council and ZAFT reached an agreement in calling for Yuri Amalfi to step in the place of Lacus Clyne, who went missing after joining the Archangel after Aprillius Four was destroyed the attempted assassination,"_ the report continued, and a short footage of the fight taking place two days ago were shown. Unsurprisingly, the image of the Earth Alliance Windams firing their nuclear missiles were shown. _"Today, Yuri Amalfi has agreed to step in for PLANTs and ZAFT."_

Athrun found himself taking two paces back, his eyes widening as the image of the man he knew so well appeared on the screen. Cameras flashed as he began his speech and Athrun shook his head in horror. A gentle hand grabbed his and he turned – Cagalli was looking at him with worried eyes, but she knew. Athrun clenched his teeth together, forcing himself to listen to the statement. Even Lacus had stood, her azure eyes burning as she trained them on the screen.

"_Now, more than ever, I am convinced that following RENEGADE's ideals would be what is most beneficial to PLANTs… No – for all Coordinators entirely. The respectable Lacus Clyne, in the place of her father, Siegel Clyne, had tried her best in handling the situation without fighting back, but it is evident that the Earth Alliance will not surrender,"_ Amalfi said, his eyes burning. On the bottom right side of the screen, images of the battles in Scandinavia and Gibraltar were shown. _"Anyone would fight back if they are being attacked. Our soldiers in Earth are already fighting after they were mercilessly attacked. Even the neutral nations are forced into this, and we have seen the devastation that they have done to Scandinavia. It proves that the Earth Alliance had always been prepared for war from the beginning. I believe RENEGADE was correct in believing that the only way we could live without fear and hate is if both Naturals and Coordinators separate from one another. PLANTs accept this, and we will fight to join RENEGADE's ideals."_

"It's finally starting…" Lacus said softly as Yuri Amalfi began to wrap up his speech.

"Lacus..?" Kira moved over to her side, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Orb will be attacked next," she said, bowing her head.

"_I therefore urge the neutral nations to conform to RENEGADE's ideals. We are not fighting for the sake of PLANTs. We are fighting for the sake of all Coordinators living in all the areas around the universe for a peaceful life!"_

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – <strong>_**Aurora**_** (Present Day)**

"Kuso! Kuso! Kuso! _KUSOOOO..!"_ Yzak shouted angrily, punching the hard wall repeatedly with his fists. He breathed hard, bowing his head – his silver hair fell forwards and he could feel the rage coursing through his veins. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised that things were turning out this way… but what was he supposed to do? Going back to PLANTs could mean instant death – with the situation in PLANTs as how it was, Yzak highly doubted that returning would do any difference… and yet, was he supposed to stay and do nothing?

"Oy… Yzak…" Dearka moved close, his voice troubled. Yzak paid him no attention.

During the First Bloody Valentine seven years ago, Ezalia Joule had been a Council member of ZAFT and PLANTs representing Martius City. Like Yuri Amalfi, she had been a National Defence Committee Member, and she had supported Patrick Zala's radical views even until after the war. She had been involved with the assassination of Siegel Clyne and was arrested but recently released. To hear that she was stepping in for Martius yet again, no doubt supporting RENEGADE whole-heartedly, was shocking to the young General. It was possible that Ezalia believed that Yzak had died during the battle in PLANTs – his ship, the _Voltaire_, had been annihilated by the Earth Alliance nuclear weapons, after all. But deep down, Yzak knew that even without his probable 'death', she would have still supported the RENEGADE in her dislike for the Naturals.

What was he supposed to do? Head back to PLANTs and meet her and tell her to stop? Even if she stopped, Yzak highly doubted that the others would. In the worst case possible, he would be targeted and possibly get himself killed. If Chairman Zala could find strength in himself to shoot Athrun due to opposing views, Yzak couldn't see why the same situation couldn't be applied to him. But would his mother do that to him? Yzak didn't know. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his skin and he cursed, again and again. Shiho was silent, and he could hear Dearka sighing beside him. Dearka's father, Tad Elsman, had also been a previous Council member of PLANTs. But unlike Ezalia, Tad never held radical views and it was doubtful that he would join the Council again. No… the ones they were familiar with were Yuri Amalfi and Ezalia Joule.

"_Kuso…_" Yzak cursed angrily.

The door slid open and Laniel stepped in, his face grave. He took in the situation and sighed. It was unlike the young Captain to be in such low spirits, but they were facing hard times. "General Joule. Captain Elsman. Lieutenant Hahnenfuss," he addressed the three. Yzak straightened and looked at him, noticing that Shinn and Lunamaria were with him as well. "We are needed on the Archangel," Laniel informed.

It wasn't surprising. "Very well," Yzak said, immediately storming past them as he led the way. He had no doubt that the _kisama_ Athrun Zala had heard the news about Ezalia which had been aired after Yuri Amalfi's statement – like it or not, Yzak _did_ wish to know the other Coordinator's views on that. At least they were no longer just sitting and doing nothing… that was a small comfort that Yzak could take.

Kira was waiting for them at the entrance of the Archangel. Unsurprisingly, the brown-haired Coordinator seemed deep in thought and he merely nodded at them as they approached before turning and leading them into the ship. They walked past the corridors and eventually came to a door which slid open, revealing a rather large office – Murrue's office, no doubt. Kira entered and moved to stand beside Lacus. Yzak was rather glad to see that she looked calm – but then again, it wasn't as if anything particularly unexpected had happened. Athrun, Cagalli, Mu, Murrue and Waltfeld were among the others present. Yzak positioned himself beside Athrun and Dearka stood beside him, leaning back with his arms crossed. Shinn was the last to enter, and when the door slid shut behind him, Waltfeld sighed.

"I suppose you've seen the declaration as well?" Waltfeld asked, addressing Yzak. The young General nodded. "We'll need to figure out what we're going to do from here onwards."

"It's evident that everything is going according to RENEGADE's plans, objective-wise," Athrun said, his green eyes calmly addressing those around the room. "The only plan that didn't work would be the one involving Kira," he said.

"The one involving Kira?" Shinn echoed, raising his eyebrows.

Athrun nodded. "RENEGADE's plans began through the attacks done on Botswana and Maius, most likely to incite hate between Naturals and Coordinators once again. But the plan did not go as smoothly as they had wanted it to. Orb was supposed to be taken down along with Botswana and Maius, but when Kira interfered with the Freedom, he managed to prevent any casualties done to a neutral nation," Athrun explained. "Even though attacking Orb was a failure, their objectives were achieved. Naturals and Coordinators began to fear each other once again, and when RENEGADE's declaration came, many were willing enough to support it. However, both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT rejected the ideals, which led to the assassination of Secretary-General of the EA, Sirne Anfiel. Blue Cosmos leader, Ryuu Apene, then took over the Earth Alliance and joined RENEGADE.

"An attack was then launched on the Kingdom of Scandinavia to incite more hatred due to the failure of attacking Orb beforehand. The Earth Alliance knows that Orb is a powerful nation. Attacking it with their forces alone could be dangerous," Athrun continued. "What nobody expected to happen was to have Scandinavia refusing ZAFT's assistance in the battle. This lessens the tension between the Naturals and Coordinators, and as a result, a lot of resistance groups formed in the Eurasian Federation. ZAFT was becoming a problem for RENEGADE. An attack on Gibraltar was issued to cause confusion among Coordinators, and make them angry… but Lacus still did not fight back," Athrun said, his eyes turning on the pink-haired songstress. "The only way was to pull her away from PLANTs."

"So they cooked up an assassination. It was ZAFT's soldiers that attacked her," Yzak said, his voice low as he tried to contain his anger.

"Then, why were we attacked by the Earth Alliance?" Lunamaria asked, titling her head.

"It was planned," Athrun answered. "They put the blame on the Earth Alliance – it must've been their plan all along. Lacus would be assassinated, but the blame will go to the Earth Alliance. That was why their fleet was waiting."

"We believe that what PLANTs did not expect was to have the Earth Alliance attacking," Kira said, nodding to his old friend. "That blue and white Gundam, the Premium, showed us that this must be RENEGADE's plan. It's also possible that ZAFT didn't expect the Archangel to come and save Lacus, forcing the Earth Alliance to attack. But that seems unlikely. The fact was that the EA _did_ attack, and Aprillius Four fell without reason. Now, more than ever, the Coordinators would despise the Naturals for what had happened," he said gravely.

"Their objectives were achieved, however," Athrun sighed. "Whether the attack by the Earth Alliance was planned or not, Yuri Amalfi is now heading PLANTs, and they have joined RENEGADE. The blame was also placed on the Earth Alliance. It gives them a reason to fight back."

"Why Yuri Amalfi..?" Mu wondered out loud.

"In the first war, Yuri Amalfi represented Maius City. He's one of the National Defence Committee Members in ZAFT. There had been a lot of opposition in Maius after the war, even when Chairman Durandal took over ZAFT and PLANTs. Many still held up to Chairman Zala's views. It's not impossible that the attack on Maius One and Two had been staged from the start – there weren't as many official casualties as you would expect. The RENEGADE's flagship was stolen from Maius as well," Yzak explained. Of course, he had known that this was a coup d'état from the very start.

Yzak felt Athrun's gaze finally resting on him, and he knew that the blue-haired Coordinator must've been aware of Ezalia Joule joining the Supreme Council again. The young General kept his eyes away. It was a small detail that he did not wish to share with those around the room, and he knew that above all people present, it was Athrun who would be able to understand. Yzak's position now was almost exactly the same as what Athrun had been through during the first war, after all. Yzak straightened and fixed his gaze on Cagalli. "What will you do?" he asked.

Cagalli's eyebrows rose, almost as if she was surprised that Yzak was talking to her. "Orb will fight," she said instantly, her voice confident. "Orb will not allow itself to be pulled into RENEGADE's ideals."

"The Archangel will return to Orb after this," Murrue informed. "As soon as the statement is released, Orb will be attacked. The Archangel will fight."

Kira stepped forward, his eyes turning to Laniel. "Will the _Aurora_ stay here?" he asked. Laniel looked surprised. "The way things stand, Heliopolis is in grave danger, and we need as many forces as we can to support it. The _Aurora_ is a space battleship after all," he pointed out.

Laniel nodded. "There's no problem with that, of course. I'd be glad to stay here with the ship."

Kira smiled, relieved. "Thank you. I would also like Shinn and Lunamaria to join the Archangel," he said, turning to the two pilots.

"_What?_" Shinn blurted out, shocked. Of course, while he had been listening to them, he had already decided that he, equipped with the Destiny Gaia, would join the battle. But he hadn't expected that Kira would ask him to join himself – Shinn had been preparing himself to shout it out with the young Commander.

"I want you to fight with us, Shinn. Together," Kira said quietly.

"I-I… Of course," Shinn answered, shaking his head to collect himself. "I'll join the Archangel."

"Me too," Lunamaria agreed, her eyes shining with determination.

"I'm staying with the _Aurora_," Yzak informed. Kira looked well surprised and Yzak couldn't help but feel only slightly amused. "I'll stay and gather intelligence about PLANTs," he said. There was more to that, of course. He knew that soon enough, he would return to PLANTs to confront his mother, and he wouldn't be able to do so if he stayed with the Archangel.

Dearka sighed. "It can't be helped. The _Aurora_ needs pilots as well. I'll stay," he said. Shiho nodded, signalling that she would remain with the _Aurora_ as well. With Sierra added into the equation, both the _Aurora_ and the Archangel had equal numbers of capable pilots to defend both Orb and Heliopolis.

Kira's gaze softened as understanding came over him. "I understand. Thank you, Yzak."

"Archangel will launch immediately, then," Murrue said, standing.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 – Heliopolis (Present Day)<strong>

In an hour, they were ready and prepared to launch. The _Aurora_ crew positioned themselves in front of the Archangel. Yzak and Laniel stood in front, flanked on both sides by Dearka and Shiho. They faced the members of the Archangel – Kira, Cagalli, Lacus, Athrun, Mu, Murrue and Waltfeld – who were already prepared to launch.

Yzak stepped forward, his icy blue eyes turning to Cagalli. "I thank you for your consideration, Representative Attha. But I, and the _Aurora_, have decided to fight with these uniforms. We have no intention of wearing Orb's military uniform," he said, his voice level. Cagalli raised her eyebrows, prompting him to continue. Even Kira looked surprised with Yzak's declaration, but the young General, clad in his purple ZAFT uniform, looked calm. "We will still fight and protect Heliopolis. But more important than that, we're fighting for PLANTs. It is our duty as soldiers of ZAFT to correct our superiors when they have taken the wrong step, not to abandon them," he said, his eyes flickering momentarily to Athrun. Athrun noticed, and couldn't help but smile slightly at that. "We wish to continue fighting in these uniforms for PLANTs and our beliefs when we joined ZAFT, also in memory of our fallen comrades," Yzak said, his eyes clouding with grief as he remembered his fallen squadron.

Kira turned his gaze to the side, where Shinn was standing with Lunamaria, Miriallia, Sai and Kuzzey. Shinn nodded once and Kira returned the gesture – they, too, would fight in ZAFT's military uniforms.

Cagalli shrugged lightly, a small smile on her lips. "I understand. Thank you, General Joule. Orb also thanks you for your willingness to protect this colony," she said truthfully.

Lacus raised her head. "We must continue to fight for the peace of the world. Naturals and Coordinators are not meant to separate from each other, and we must fight to create a world where it is possible for them to stop fearing each other. So please… Lend me your strength, and fight for what you know is true in your hearts," she said calmly, though there was no mistaking the sadness in her voice. After serving PLANTs and ZAFT for five years, only these soldiers in front of her were truly loyal to her, and it hurt.

Kira stepped forward. "I am proud to have a squadron like the _Aurora_," he said, the pride and warmth unmistaken in his voice. "I am glad that we can fight side by side in this war, together. But even when we fight, it's important to know the reason why we want to stay alive. So make sure you stay alive. The world we want to create is for all of us," he said, his voice gentle.

They saluted. Mu, Murrue and Waltfeld immediately left to enter the Archangel again, followed by Sai and Kuzzey. The _Aurora_ crew also dispersed, making their way back towards the Nazca-class battleship.

Athrun immediately walked over to Yzak and Dearka. "Take care," he said, holding his hand out.

Yzak snorted. "_You're_ the one who has to take care, Athrun," he snapped. But he took Athrun's hand, shaking it firmly. "Don't you die, _kisama_. I won't forgive you if you end up being defeated by someone else," he said arrogantly.

Dearka shook his head, stepping forward to shake Athrun's hand. "Thanks, Athrun," he said shortly. "I'll see you later," he grinned, turning and walking away.

Athrun's gaze followed him and noticed that he was making his way to Miriallia. He smiled and turned back to Yzak. "Are you alright, Yzak?" he asked quietly. Yzak looked as if he wanted to snort, but he held Athrun's gaze. Eventually, he nodded. "It's probably useless to tell you this, but maybe you should stay here."

"I'm going back to PLANTs," Yzak said flatly.

"I guess it can't be helped," Athrun shrugged, clapping a hand on the young General's shoulder. "Don't die, Yzak."

Yzak knew that he was referring to those in PLANTs, and not hinting at his incompetence. He let it pass.

.

"You will take care, won't you?" Miriallia asked shyly, her blue eyes gazing deep into Dearka's violet ones.

Dearka nodded. "Ah… Don't worry, Miriallia. I won't die. I'll come back again… and I'll find you," he said, his cheeks turning a small shade of red. "Take care as well, Miriallia," he said, placing a hand on her arm. He looked away for a moment. "I wasn't joking when I said I wanted to have you in my life, Mir. Maybe… after all this is over… we can work something out together," he said hopefully.

Her heart fluttered in her chest as she listened to his words and she shook her head, the happy tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I'd like that, Dearka," she said truthfully, moving to take his hand in hers as she looked at him. "When all this is over, I would like to share my life with you. I've… I've been alone long enough," she managed, smiling as she squeezed his hand.

His gaze softened and he stepped forward, pressing his lips against hers. The thought of sharing their life together was one that Dearka had always entertained, and he was truly happy that she was allowing him into her life. He would fight… and he would survive. To be with her. To build their lives… together.

.

Kira was the last to board the Archangel. He had taken his time to bid farewell to his squadron, and to Laniel in particular, before finally parting with them and staying until the rest boarded the ship. A warm feeling spread across his chest as he watched the goodbyes being said to each other, and as Shinn and Lunamaria said their farewells with Meyrin. For what it's worth, they were together, even when facing a seemingly-impossible battle. Kira never wanted to fight… and he never wanted his comrades and friends to fight. But when the situation couldn't be helped, as it was now, he supposed that this was the best way for it to happen. To fight together, side by side.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

Shinn exhaled loudly as he placed the last of the boxes on the bed in front of him, then stretching to loosen his muscles. When they joined the Archangel, Lunamaria was easily placed in a room along with Lacus, Cagalli and Miriallia. But the other room was already full, so Kira offered to move to this one instead, which hadn't been occupied by anyone for a while. The beds and desks were still new, despite the age of the Archangel that was reaching eight years old. Kira and Athrun, who had originally stayed in the other room with Sai and Kuzzey, decided to move into this one with Shinn. Shinn wasn't entirely sure whether he enjoyed the company or not, but he supposed it was better than being alone.

The door slid open and Kira entered, the boxes he was carrying obscuring his view. He heaved them to the side, placing them on the bed and sighed tiredly. The room was standard-sized for the Archangel-class ship, with two bunk beds and desks and closets secured on the far end. "That's all of it," Kira said, stretching. "Athrun seems to be busy on the bridge – they're still trying to get in contact with Orb," Kira said with a light shrug.

"I see," Shinn answered shortly. He unbuttoned his red ZAFT uniform, chucking it onto the top bunk.

Kira raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure that's alright?" he asked.

"It's okay," Shinn confirmed. "I won't want to stay below with you guys crying out in your sleep," he teased, immediately rummaging through the boxes so he could start unpacking.

The other Coordinator's eyes softened. "Thanks, Shinn," he said, then sighing as he laid his eyes on the mess in front of him. "Guess I'll need to unpack for Athrun as well," he muttered, beginning to take out the stuff and storing them in the right places.

They worked quietly. Kira arranged his clothes in his closet easily and began to take out Athrun's clothes as well before a picture fluttered to the floor next to Shinn's feet. Shinn raised his eyebrows and glanced at the brown-haired Coordinator, but it seemed as if Kira hadn't noticed. He crouched low and took the picture, his eyes widening slightly as he gazed at the two young faces that were obviously laughing. Two very young versions of Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala. It felt strange to see the two at a time when they had been so carefree and happy… and young. The light in their eyes wasn't something Shinn had ever seen in the Kira and Athrun he knew now.

"Commander… This…" Shinn said, handing the picture.

Kira turned, his eyes immediately brightening as he took the picture. "Ah… I didn't know Athrun still kept this with him," he said, looking at it. There was a strange look in his eyes… Shinn thought he could detect joy and sorrow, as well as a sense of longing in the other Coordinator. "This was taken back when we were in Copernicus," Kira said, storing the picture away with Athrun's clothes.

"Commander… Have you known Athrun for long?" Shinn asked, interested despite himself.

"Very long…" Kira said, his voice faraway. "We have always been close friends before he moved to PLANTs," Kira said, laughing slightly to himself.

A part of Shinn envied Kira and Athrun for their long friendship. After his family had been killed in Onogoro, Shinn had moved to PLANTs, leaving behind all the friends he had known and starting anew. He joined ZAFT's academy and became close to Rey, Lunamaria and Meyrin – Rey, especially, had been close to the black-haired Coordinator. He had heard of what had happened in the Battle of Messiah, of course… Athrun had recounted what had happened, and until now, it was difficult for Shinn to accept that his best friend had died, and that he had shot Gilbert Durandal before his death.

The door slid open and Athrun entered, his eyes widening at once as he took the scene in front of him. "Ah! Kira! You should have left that!" Athrun cried out suddenly, moving to take the clothes from the other Coordinator's hands. "Honestly…" he muttered.

"It's almost done," Kira shrugged lightly, moving to sit on the bed and beginning to sort out through his stuff. "Have you contacted Orb?"

"Ah. We'll be entering the atmosphere in a few minutes," Athrun said, storing the last of his items away. He turned and gazed at Shinn before moving to help. "I'm sorry – I didn't know you were doing this. I'll help."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day)<strong>

Orb. Kira couldn't remember the last time he had landed in the small island, but the last time he had descended to Earth, it had been to protect this small nation. The Archangel had launched from Heliopolis without any trouble, and it seemed as if their luck had held, for they managed to dock in Orb without any confrontations by any enemies. Kira supposed that, after the declaration from PLANTs so soon, RENEGADE would need to wait for the other nations' answers before they could take action. Already, the United States of South America declared that they still wanted to maintain a neutral ground, but with what were probably the weakest military forces, it would not be hard for RENEGADE to force them to accept their ideals. Resistant groups were also beginning to form in various military bases, and the Eurasian Federation were still resisting as well. The situation was chaotic, but they all knew that it was Orb's answer that the RENEGADE was waiting for the most.

When they docked, Cagalli immediately made her way to the parliamentary house. Kira was surprised to find himself deliberating on what he should do, but Lacus gently reminded him that they would need to go to the orphanage. Even Athrun offered to accompany them while waiting for Cagalli to make her statement.

"I guess we should go," Kira finally sighed, the pain gnawing in his chest. He could hardly bear to face his mother after the grief he must have put her through, but he knew as well as they did that they needed to go.

So they found themselves in Athrun's black car, speeding down the roads to the coast where the orphanage was located. Athrun drove smoothly and Kira sat next to him. Lacus occupied the passenger seat behind, playing around with her Haro. Kira noticed that Athrun kept on throwing him concerned glances as he drove, but the brown-haired Coordinator found that he couldn't bring himself to say anything. He had been presumably dead, then finding himself in Mendel where, for the first time ever, he had truly learned about his parents. Caridad knew that Kira had learned the truth during the first war, of course, but Kira had refused to talk about it and it created a gap between them that he could never seem to close. Caridad seemed to have noticed Kira's unwillingness in discussing the matter and thus had never approached the subject.

They turned and parked in front of the house. The fresh breeze of the sea was soothing, and Kira could see the children playing outside the house, kicking a ball – some were also playing with the other coloured Haros, which Lacus had left here after the second war.

Haro was the first to fly out of the car before they even had the chance to open the door. It beeped excitedly and, seeing the Pink Haro, the other Haros surrounded it as well, excitedly calling "Haro! Haro!" to each other. Kira smiled and stepped out of the car. Torii took off from his shoulder and flew away at once.

"Ah! It's Athrun-san! And ah! Lacus-sama!" The children cried out excitedly, immediately running towards them.

"Hey, isn't that Kira-sama?"

"Kira-sama!"

"Kira-sama! Kira-sama is back! Kira-sama is back!"

Kira raised his eyebrows as the children gathered around them, throwing all sorts of questions. Why they were here. How they were. How long they could stay. Whether they would play. As well as an endless stream of reports on what had happened since they last met. It was overwhelming, and Kira couldn't help but laugh as he tried to talk and listen to them, all at once – even Lacus and Athrun seemed to struggle.

"Ara ara… Everyone! I'm sure you have a lot to tell, but Kira-sama and Athrun-san needs to see Yamato-san first. Why don't we go to the beach? Then you can tell me everything!" Lacus said happily, ushering them away. "Pink-chan! Let's go to the beach together!" she called out to her favourite Haro, and all the Haros responded as she tried to steer them away.

Athrun's eyebrows were raised. He didn't remember needing to see Caridad, and wonder what was going on in Lacus's mind. He had been with Lacus long enough to know that there was a purpose behind almost everything that she did. A few children moaned and grumbled, wanting to spend time with both Kira and Athrun, but it was also evident that they were happy to spend some private time with Lacus, who was their favourite.

"Mom," Kira said. Athrun turned his gaze away and finally spotted Caridad standing a few feet from them, her eyes as gentle as they had always been. He hadn't noticed when she made her appearance – Athrun realised that Lacus must've spotted her first.

Caridad's eyes were fixed on Kira, and they were shining with tears. "Kira…" she trailed off, almost as if she was frightened he would disappear.

Kira tensed slightly. Athrun clapped his hand gently against the other Coordinator's back and Kira stepped forward. "I'm home, Mom…" he said quietly, immediately embracing her as she ran to hug him. Tears flowed down Kira's cheeks as he hugged her tight. "I'm sorry, Mom. I made you worry again," he said.

"Welcome home, Kira. Athrun-kun, too. Thank goodness. Thank goodness you're safe," Caridad sobbed, pulling away to look study her son's face. She placed her hand on his cheek, caressing it with the real touch of a mother to a son. Caridad held her other arm out to Athrun. Surprised, the other Coordinator stepped forward to stand beside Kira. Caridad reached out, resting her palm against his cheek, mirroring what she did to Kira as her gaze settled affectionately on the blue-haired Coordinator. "Thank you, Athrun-kun. Let's go inside," she said gently. Athrun's eyes were tearful, and it nearly took him his all to stop himself from crying at her motherly touch. He missed it… He missed the times when she had tucked him to sleep, on a bed beside Kira's, back in Copernicus. He missed all the times they had had together, and he could see it in her eyes that she did as well.

They were led into the orphanage and settled at a small table positioned beside a glass wall overlooking the ocean. Caridad must've expected that they were coming – there was tea and snacks, and Athrun couldn't help but feel suspicious to one particular pink-haired songstress again. He sat at the table, his eyebrows immediately rising as his gaze settled on a plate in front of him. "Rolled cabbages..?" Athrun asked, surprised, his hand automatically moving forward, almost to take one.

Caridad nodded. "Your favourite," she said, laughing gently before turning back to Kira. "I heard what had happened, Kira. Cagalli told me everything… Lacus too," she said, confirming Athrun's suspicions. "I heard you were saved by your parents' friend in Mendel," she said, her hand moving to rest against Kira's.

The brown-haired Coordinator had frozen, then nodded. "Ah…" he said, his eyes resting on the cup of tea in front of him. "Daisuke Shen."

"Is that so? What is he like?" Caridad asked, tilting her head with interest. It was obvious that Kira didn't want to talk about it, but she had decided, quite rightly, that there was no use pretending as if he didn't know of the truth.

Kira knew this as well. They had tried to pretend that Caridad was Kira's biological mother even after the war, but it only drove them further apart. A part of him was actually grateful that he had the opportunity to talk now, as hard as it was. "Daisuke-san was… gentle. And kind. He saved me and nursed me back to health… and he sent me back when Lacus was attacked in PLANTs," he said, a small smile forming on his lips.

"I've heard of him," Caridad said, her face thoughtful. "Via once talked about him. He loved her," she said, stating it as nothing more than a fact.

Kira was surprised. It was the first time he had heard Caridad say her sister's name aloud like that, as if they were finally acknowledging her existence. "Daisuke-san told me that… He said he was always in love with her. And he told me a lot about her… and about my father."

Caridad shook her head, laughing slightly. "Via had always been very smart, Kira. You remind me so much of her… not just because of your looks. She, too, was kind… and cried easily. And she always knew what she wanted, but she didn't know how – she was clumsy in that part, and she loved your father dearly," she said, her hand moving to his shoulder. "But she loved you, Kira. Cagalli, too. It didn't matter whether you were a Coordinator or not – it never mattered. She loved you, and she sent you to me when the trouble began," Caridad said sadly, then shaking her head. "But that is all in the past now. And whatever happens, you are still my son," she said gently. "Athrun-kun, too."

Athrun found himself unable to meet Caridad's gaze, just like Kira. So many things had happened, after all. Still, a small part in him wanted to believe that the gap could be closed again. That, possibly, they could find themselves near to how they had been before, back in Copernicus.

"Thank you…" Kira said softly, finally raising his eyes to his mother. He had a serene smile on his lips, perhaps glad that they had finally let out the feelings that had been contained for too long.

They had stayed and talked then, of almost anything and everything until Lacus returned with the children. The announcement from Cagalli was made during the evening, just after Caridad had disappeared to ensure that the children were cleaning themselves and getting dressed for bed. Kira, Athrun and Lacus had stayed in the living room, watching as Cagalli made her inevitable statement that Orb still refused to conform to RENEGADE's ideals, and that they would fight anyone who would try to harm their nation. By that time, Orb was the last to make its announcement, and as soon as the declaration ended, Lacus excused herself to help Caridad tend to the children.

"It's finally happening," Athrun said, crossing his arms. "We'll just need to wait for the attack after this."

Kira nodded. "Ah… But it'll be alright, Athrun," he said optimistically, his hand moving to the other Coordinator's shoulder.

They exited the orphanage to head back to the Archangel as soon as the children were properly tucked in bed. It had taken them a while, as they were all eager to say their goodbyes to Kira and Athrun, but tiredness took over and they were finally asleep. Lacus hugged Caridad warmly, asking her to take care before moving to talk to Reverend Malchio who had been loyal to the Clyne family for many years. Caridad turned to Kira, hugging him tight.

"I'm sorry for doing this again, Mom," Kira said apologetically. "Please take care. Make sure you get to Heliopolis as soon as possible. It's not safe here."

"Yes, yes, don't worry," Caridad admonished gently. "Take care of yourself as well, Kira," she said releasing her son from her embrace and turning to Athrun. "Athrun-kun, too."

Athrun smiled slightly. "Ah… I will. Take care," he said.

Caridad gazed into the emerald eyes for a while and finally stepped forward, hugging him tight. Athrun was shocked – perhaps too shocked – to respond to such a motherly gesture even though his old self would have been used to the embrace. Caridad did not release him, however, and Athrun was finally compelled to return the embrace, his heart aching as he remembered his mother. "Make sure you come home – both of you. And know that I love you dearly," she said softly, releasing him. Kira moved to stand beside Athrun and she reached forwards, resting her palms on their cheeks as she had done before, her eyes affectionate. "Now… off you go," she said, using the same tone she had always used to send Kira and Athrun to school.

"I'll see you soon, Mom," Kira said, stepping forward to kiss her lightly on the cheek before turning to the car.

"Thank you… Auntie," Athrun said, immediately feeling the weight being lifted off his chest as he used the term to address her, as he had always done. He couldn't bear to call her 'Yamato-san' any longer, and he saw the joy in her eyes on having the two back into her life. Perhaps it was a small step to what they had shared before… but it was a move to the right direction, nonetheless.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown (Present Day)<strong>

Strapped into a support craft fighter-plane mobile armour, Commander Oern Aiten led three Gundams easily, the coordinates on his radar informing him that he would reach the _Renegade_ soon. He was now wearing a half-face black mask, almost similar to the one worn by Rau Le Creuset during the first war. _Renegade_ was very particular about the identities of those that joined, and for safety and secrecy purposes, nearly everything was to be kept secret… even their names. However, Oern and his two companions had taken extra care with this freedom of identity care. Oern had on a face mask. His younger companion, Aya Hattori, had a voice modifier which he supposed was now clipped onto the helmet of her pilot suit. His other companion, Seorin Kaitke, had done the liberty of dying his hair brown, though the original red still appeared in small streaks. The other Gundam pilot was Liesel Asien, third stage Extended and the only odd one out – Oern, Aya and Seorin were all Coordinators.

They had come from PLANTs, of course, previously aboard an Earth Alliance ship that had participated in the battle. The ship had docked in Heaven's Base, and they were now making their way to the _Renegade_ ship. Liesel had been in charge of the assassination of the leaders, first killing Sirne Anfiel, then launching the attack on Lacus Clyne. Oern had to admit, he had been rather impressed with her way of working when dealing with Anfiel. They had caught her on tape, and anyone would probably assume that she was a Coordinator, when in fact, Liesel was an Extended.

Oern, Aya and Seorin had been in PLANTs, planting and detonating bombs that had killed the various Supreme Council members as well as to gather intelligence. It had come to Oern's interest that the pink princess Lacus Clyne seemed to have a small, private army of her own, but he highly doubted that even they would hold up against both ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. The only thing that truly posed a threat to RENEGADE was the Archangel and, surprisingly, the Freedom that had somehow survived the battle in the South Atlantic Ocean. Still, Oern was never one to worry, and he knew how to accept shocking news calmly. The Advocate and Zantetsuken were available, after all, and they were the mobile suits designed to take the Freedom down. With the three Gundams behind him, even the Archangel would be facing problems. Being the one who had designed and looked over the development of the five Gundams, it was an understatement to say that Oern was proud of what he had accomplished.

The first Gundam was the RENEGADE-A1001 Advocate, assigned to Genei Alens. It was a dark green artillery mobile weapon, also equipped with the latest DRAGOON system as well as having a flyer for extended manoeuvrability. He had heard the reports of Genei's battles, and was quite pleased that the young pilot had not yet used the DRAGOONs in the Earth's atmosphere. That was the Advocate's trump card and ace weapon, as before this, DRAGOONs usually had problems operating in the Earth's atmosphere. Still, the flyer was equipped with missiles, and his other weapons included a sword, beam sabers, beam rifles and beam cannons.

The second Gundam was the RENEGADE-A1002 Zantetsuken, assigned to Tierra Hito. Also an artillery mobile weapon weapon, the Zantetsuken was orange and teal and its uniqueness lies with its Power Enhancer that allows it to recharge its Hyper Impulse Cannon at an amazing speed. The Zantetsuken was designed for long-range attacks and its armaments include beam sabers, a railgun, multiple beam cannons as well as two beam rifles.

The third Gundam was the RENEGADE-A1003 Premium, assigned to Liesel Alens. The Gundam was, in Oern's opinion, the most unique of the five Gundams under _Renegade_. The Minerva ship was equipped with a special catapult system that was fully utilised by the Impulse Gundam during the second war, but for the _Renegade_, it would be used by the Premium. The Premium was blue and white, and the only colour differences were with the different RENEGADE packs it could equip. It is a multi-purpose mobile weapon, and included five different RENEGADE packs which were the RENEGADE Aero, RENEGADE Sword, RENEGADE Aqua, RENEGADE Haste and RENEGADE Stealth. The default would most probably be the Aero, which was equipped with beam sabers and beam rifles, also offering the Premium with a high manoeuvrability with its additional thrusters. The Sword was used for anti-ship battles and close combats, equipped with swords and boomerang blades, while the Aqua was used for long-range attacks or underwater attacks with its beam rifles and cannons. The two that were different were the Haste and Stealth. RENEGADE Haste equips the Premium with a Voiture Lumiere propulsion system that had been equipped on the Destiny Gundam in the previous war, allowing the Gundam to move at twice its speed. RENEGADE Stealth, on the other hand, equips the Premium with the Mirage Colloid stealth system, similar to the one on the Blitz Gundam during the first war.

The fourth Gundam was the RENEGADE-A1004 Apocalypse, assigned to Seorin Kaitke. It is a transformable attack-use mobile weapon, able to transform itself into a fighter-plane mobile armour or a custom mobile weapon, almost like a combination of the Aegis and the Saviour that had fought with ZAFT, piloted by elite pilot Athrun Zala. The Apocalypse was dark red and equipped with the Voiture Lumiere propulsion system. One distinctive feature of the Apocalypse was its claws, installed to the back of the Gundam, with its two arms extending to the front, also moveable. The claws were able to fire beam attacks at close distances, and anyone trapped in them would have difficulties getting away without damage. The Apocalypse's armaments include railguns, beam rifles and beam sabers among many others.

The last and fifth Gundam was the RENEGADE-A1005 Imperial, assigned to Aya Hattori. The Imperial is an assault mobile weapon, equipped with the Mirage Colloid stealth system, with turquoise armour. The Imperial was also equipped with a flyer pack like the Advocate, equipped with missile launchers and a beam sword. Its armaments include beam sabers, railguns, beam rifles and beam boomerangs.

All five Gundams were installed with an Ultracompact Fission Reactor that would give them more time and energy in battle as opposed to the usual energy battery that Gundams operate with. They were also equipped with Multi Phase-Shift Armour, but what Oern liked most about the units was that its weapons were not particular to each Gundam. In fact, they were mass-produced to be the same. In battle, this would be useful if one Gundam was taken down – the other units could easily use its armaments in the place of the fallen Gundam. Oern had worked hard with the machines, and he hoped that they would prove to be very useful indeed.

He spotted the _Renegade_ waiting for them and signalled to the Gundams to dock. They followed easily, the Premium leading, followed by the Apocalypse and the Imperial. Oern was the last to dock, and he was surprised when he saw Ryuu Apene, the leader of Blue Cosmos, standing in the hangar to receive them along with Captain Sethe Tienn and the two Gundam pilots, Genei Alens and Tierra Hito. Liesel, Aya and Seorin had already descended from their Gundams and were walking towards the small group, taking off their helmets as they did so. As soon as his fighter-plane docked, Oern climbed out and took off his helmet – he was the last person to join the group.

"I'm glad to see the ship looks fine," he commented, saluting once.

Captain Sethe returned the gesture, though his icy blue eyes narrowed at the masked man. "Of course it is alright. We are not on the losing side," his voice was soft, though still holding the menace in his words. "Orb has just made its declaration. They have made us their enemy."

Oern shrugged, smiling slightly. "I didn't know we were expecting company."

"Observations on our progress must be made."

So, that was it. Blue Cosmos, here to see whether _Renegade_ was as good as they had claimed to be. Oern could only be somewhat thankful that, whenever it was Ryuu had boarded, the ship had been majorly filled with Naturals and the two Extendeds. There were a few Coordinators working as technicians, but apart from Oern, the others in the bridge were Naturals. At least it would have been rather comforting to the obviously Natural-loving person in front of him.

Ryuu seemed to know they were talking about him. "Please introduce yourselves. I didn't expect more pilots," he said coldly.

Oern shook his head. "The fighter-plane was my transport here. From here onwards, I do not think I will be launching," he said truthfully. He had no interest in heading out and facing the enemies directly.

There was a sudden gleam of interest in the man's eye. "I see. That is fine. We will make sure you will not need to," he promised, his words holding an awful amount of meaning. Oern did not falter. He already knew that since joining RENEGADE, he had been playing with fire… and of the deadliest type.

"My thanks go to the trouble," Oern replied coolly. "The pilots," he said, gesturing towards the three beside him.

Liesel stepped forwards first. She was a young woman, perhaps only around eighteen and the youngest in the group, with blonde hair that went down to her shoulders and an amazingly pretty shade of purple/pink eyes. "RENEGADE-A1003 Premium pilot, reporting for duty! Alias: Liesel Alens," she said, saluting.

Seorin saluted. "RENEGADE-A1004 Apocalypse pilot, reporting for duty! Alias: Seorin Kaitke." _Real name… Ken Sienth_, Oern thought.

Aya saluted. "RENEGADE-A1005 Imperial pilot, reporting for duty! Alias: Aya Hattori." _Real name… Hikari Sienth._

Now was the moment. Just before he stepped forward, Oern thought of one particular brown-haired Coordinator that they had rescued and nursed in Mendel. It was inevitable that they would meet again soon, but a part of him wished that Kira Hibiki would never learn the truth. Oern had many thoughts of the world, but his thoughts on Kira Hibiki were pure… he had been rather affectionate of the young man, if only due to his perfect resemblance to his mother, Via. But this was something that they had thought and planned, and he already knew that he had placed his faith on the right person. He was sure – confident, even – that Kira would bring all this to an end. That with their help in joining RENEGADE, the time would come when Naturals and Coordinators would no longer need to fight.

"Second-class Minerva ship Commander. Alias: Oern Aiten." _Real name… Daisuke Shen_.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> This a transition-chapter of sorts, with a nice twist to the plot. Info on the Premium, Apocalypse and Imperial can be found in Chapter 5. We'll be thrown into real fighting and conflict from the next chapter onwards, and admittedly with quite a lot of focus on Shinn, I'm surprised to discover. I wish I can tell you when the next update will be, but it's impossible to say. I aim to have the next chapter by mid-September, latest – the earliest I can manage is next week, which is actually rather unlikely. I'm sorry. There's a personal problem plaguing my life at the moment, and to make matters worse, I lost all my notes for this fic and I need to re-write them from scratch. It'll be difficult to write without them because the story is so darn complicated, but I'll try my best. By mid-September, updates should be regular with one/two chapters per week.

These are just some additional information, for those of you who never listened/read the Kira/Athrun episode titled "Torii" in the Suits CD Volume 1 and 2 (which, just to say, I think you all really should because it's so darn adorable):

1) Kira and Athrun are both brought up together pretty much by Caridad Yamato. Patrick Zala never lived in Copernicus with Athrun and Lenore, and he had always lived in PLANTs. Lenore was also a scientist for the agricultural part of PLANTs (namely Junius City), and always came home late and was never really there. So Athrun always found himself at Kira's, staying over and sleeping, basically growing up together as two brothers under Caridad's care.

2) Kira and Athrun met when they were four years old. They parted at the age of thirteen, three years before the start of the war. Lenore and Caridad are also very good friends with each other. And Athrun loves Caridad's rolled cabbages.

There are a lot more information about their friendship that you can learn from "Torii". It's really worth looking for, seriously. :D Also, apologies for the confusion caused regarding Yzak's ship. It was really inexcusable of me for the mistake. T.T Yzak's ship, officially, is called the _Voltaire_. I had always thought it was called the _Vesalius_, but that is actually the name of Rau Le Creuset's ship in Gundam SEED. It's a shame, I have to say. I prefer the name _Vesalius_ compared to _Voltaire_.

Anyway, I thank all my reviewers for reviewing the previous chapter! :D My thanks goes to skepsis66, SugarCarly, PrincessOfDestiny14, AngelicFox12, San17 and .001 Kamikakushi and Magus-15IchiGo. Thank you all! :D Also, endless thanks goes to my readers, and to those who favourite-d and alert-ed this story. Thanks for the support. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I know I can't wait for the next chapter. Please review!

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><p><strong>skepsis66:<strong> Thanks so much for the feedback! I understand how the entry _is_ heart-warming, now you explained it that way. Among the many chapters we've seen so far, it was the previous chapter that I was scared of writing the most. XD I was afraid the climax didn't meet expectations, so I'm glad to hear your thoughts on it. :D I wish the reunion could be happier, I agree. There are emotional burdens everywhere, with almost every character. This chapter is somewhat lighter though, at least. :D

**PrincessOfDestiny14:** I agree! Yzak seems to be a real victim of this war, and I honestly feel sorry for him. T.T

**AngelicFox12:** I've taken your advice, and I've written everything down – on paper, this time. All the notes stored in my laptop has disappeared due to unfortunate circumstances, and it's really a pain. XD I guess you can't rely on technology too much. Cagalli seems to be the only Natural with a SEED mode – it appeared in the first series, if I'm not mistaken. I think there's a whole load more to this SEED mode thing than we know, but it just wasn't explained in the canon, unfortunately. In any case, thanks for the review, and I'm glad you liked the reunion. :D

**San17 (Chap 9 & 10):** Firstly, thanks for the double-review. I'll try my best to let you all know when the next updates will be, as soon as the next chapter is up. :D And I'm sorry about the confusion with Yzak's ship. I honestly thought it was called the Vesalius, and I'm slightly downcast by the fact that it is, in fact, called the Voltaire. I thought the reunion could be improved myself, but Kira and Lacus were always such a quiet couple that it was hard to get their emotions across right. I'll probably include another scene of them discussing things in the next chapter or so. :3 Thanks for the feedback!

**.001 Kamikakushi:** Oh my, thank you very much! XD I'm glad you liked it, and I thank you for reading up until now. It's very appreciated. :D I heaved a sigh of relief reading your review, honestly. One of the things I try to avoid the most is OOC-ness, and I was really scared the characters might have acted out of their characters. Thanks so much!

**Magus-I5IchiGo:** Thanks for your review! :D I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I hope you liked this one as well, and the rest to come!


	12. PHASE 11: The Battle of Orb

**PHASE ELEVEN: The Battle of Orb**

**C.E 79 Location Unknown (Present Day) (**_**Renegade**_** Crew)**

"The Archangel-class ship, _Archangel_, is a strong ship that has survived both wars since its first launch seven years ago. The launch of the Minerva-class ship, _Minerva_, during the second war, was actually due to the fact that it is a ship that has been designed purely to withstand and defeat strong ships like the Archangel-class ship. But that ship was defeated by the Archangel during the Battle of Messiah five years ago, hence the development and launch of this ship, the second-generation Minerva-class ship, _Renegade_. We have reason to believe that the Captain of the Archangel is the same as the one who had taken control of the ship seven years ago: Captain Murrue Ramius. She was joined by late Captain Natarle Badgiruel and an ace mobile armour pilot, Commander Mu La Flaga.

"Among those known to have joined the Archangel seven years ago were engineering students from Heliopolis, and an astounding pilot of the Strike Gundam named Kira Yamato who has been reported as KIA after being defeated by the Aegis Gundam during the first war, piloted by ZAFT elite pilot Athrun Zala who is now an Admiral in Orb and who also fought with the Archangel during the last war. The Archangel has also worked hand-in-hand twice with Lacus Clyne and her ship, the Eternal. The Freedom Gundam is also closely associated with the Archangel, but the identity of the pilot is yet unknown to us.

"We have obtained highly-classified information from ZAFT that two Nazca-class ships joined the Archangel in the rescue of Lacus Clyne during her attempted assassination, named the _Voltaire_ and the _Aurora_. Known pilots for both ships are General Yzak Joule, Captain Dearka Elsman, Lieutenant Shiho Hahnenfuss, Commander Kira Yamato, elite pilot of the Impulse Gundam and Destiny Gundam, Shinn Asuka, Impulse Gundam pilot, Lunamaria Hawke, and an elite pilot named Sierra Chaes. We have high reason to believe that Commander Kira Yamato and the Kira Yamato reported to be KIA during the first war is, in fact, the very same person, and most likely the pilot of the Freedom."

The screen in front of them changed, and an image of a brown-haired Coordinator with deep violet eyes was shown. "This is Kira Yamato. Among the Gundams we believe he had piloted were the Strike Gundam, the Freedom Gundam and the Strike Freedom Gundam. He is also in possession of ZAFT's Enigma unit. Twenty-three years old, male, brown hair and violet eyes…"

Hikari listened to Daisuke's report quietly, sitting straight with her blue eyes unwavering as she watched him. The old scientist was now wearing a half-mask, which she had to admit she did not like in the least, but under the situation they were in, it clearly could not be helped. She knew, of course, that it would be safer for her to keep on thinking of Daisuke as _Commander Oern Aiten_, but she found herself incapable of doing so without a change of expression on her face.

They were in the _Renegade_'s pilot briefing room: Ken, Daisuke, Captain Tienn, Blue Cosmos leader Ryuu Apene, mobile armour pilot Takeru Irashi, and the three third-generation Extended pilots: Genei, Liesel and Tierra, as well as herself. They were all listening carefully as Daisuke made his report, outlining the many details that they knew of the Archangel, its companions, and its mobile suit pilots in particular. Hikari knew that Daisuke did not like Ryuu Apene to be present – it wasn't in their plan that he would be listening to all these classified information, but he had been on board the _Renegade_ and had insisted that he, above all, would need to know of the details. So they had to allow him to join to avoid suspicion. Of course, the one information Daisuke did not give was of the Ultimate Freedom that they had given Kira a week ago. That was the one shred of faith that Daisuke was allowing himself to have for the young pilot. Whether Kira could truly save the world and end the ridiculous Coordinator and Natural hatred once and for all was a different matter entirely, and Hikari was unsure whether she wanted to place as much faith on the brown-haired Coordinator or not.

Hikari risked an eye to slide to Ken's direction, who was sitting two seats from her, but his face was unchanged. The carefree look she had always seen in her brother could no longer be seen, and Ken looked a lot older now as they began to highlight the battle plan of the attack on Orb. Representative Attha had made her announcement a few days before, declaring war against RENEGADE by refusing to step down from their neutral state, and they had finally reached the night before the battle. Forces from JOSH-A of the Atlantic Federation would be leading the attack, with support coming in from Panama and ZAFT's Carpentaria and Victoria base.

She turned her blue eyes back on the screen in front of them. An image of a young Coordinator with midnight-blue hair and piercing emerald eyes gazed at her. Hikari's eyebrows were raised only slightly at the sight. "Currently the pilot of the Infinite Justice Gundam as well as an Admiral of Orb, this is Athrun Zala. Son of the late Chairman Patrick Zala of PLANTs and ZAFT during the first war, ex-fiancée of Lacus Clyne, previous member of FAITH under Gilbert Durandal in the last war. Previously piloted the Aegis Gundam, the Justice Gundam, the Saviour Gundam, and currently the Infinite Justice Gundam. Twenty-three years old, blue hair and green eyes…"

It went on for a while. Hikari, of course, had already received the knowledge of the Archangel and its members for a long time now – she had been one of the people responsible for researching the information, after all. It was only due to RENEGADE being a 'friend' to both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT that she could obtain the information at all, especially regarding Kira who had been with both the EA and ZAFT. None of the stuff Daisuke was presenting came as a surprise to her, but she still listened, if only to refresh her memory.

When, at long last, Daisuke had finished with his report, covering everything up to the attempted assassination of Lacus Clyne and the mass-murders of the PLANTs Council Members, Ryuu Apene stood with a triumphant but cold smile on his lips.

"We attack Orb at 0900 hours."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day) (Kira, Athrun &amp; Cagalli)<strong>

They had been ready. Ever since Cagalli had issued her statement regarding Orb's position with RENEGADE, the Archangel crew had been ready for the attack that they knew would have come. They were offered three days of peace, and the day had finally arrived. It didn't even come as a surprise.

During the three days, Kira and Athrun had busied themselves with Orb's military. Kira, who had once been an Admiral of Orb during the second war and known to pilot the Freedom, was well received by Orb's military men. It was also a military secret shared by many of Orb's soldiers that Kira and Cagalli were fraternal twins. The day after the announcement was made, Athrun had taken Kira to Orb's Morganroete factory and showed him the latest mass-produced transformable mobile suits which was given the name MVF-M20A Yamakaze. The red and gold Yamakaze were expected to exceed Orb's Murasame units and Morganroete was delighted when Kira had helped in tweaking the mobile suits' operating systems for further efficiency. Athrun, without a doubt, was a highly capable Coordinator with skills in the creation of electronic devices, but even he had to admit that programming was Kira's talent that surpassed him by a high degree.

Cagalli and Lacus busied themselves with the citizens of Orb, warning them of the situation continuously and advising them to move to safer places. Apart from the small amount who agreed to move to Heliopolis and other neutral countries, none wanted to part from the small island and join nations that had agreed to RENEGADE's ideals.

When the ultimatum demanding them to join RENEGADE was sent to Orb following ZAFT and EA's forces that were located outside of Orb's shores, Kira and Athrun instantly found themselves in the Archangel's hangar, already clad in their pilot suits. It had already been decided that Athrun would launch in the Justice and send Cagalli to the military headquarters of Orb, and both he and Kira would then proceed to lead a group of Yamakazes into battle. Shinn, Lunamaria, Mu and Waltfeld would launch from the Archangel.

Athrun, dressed in his red pilot suit, led Cagalli to the Infinite Justice quickly, grasping the lever with his left hand while his right hand circled her waist protectively, pulling her close to him. He was silent, and so was she. They both knew how severe the battle would be, with forces coming in both from Earth Alliance and ZAFT wanting to annihilate the neutral nations, but they didn't acknowledge that fact aloud. Athrun knew full well that this might be their last battle, but he didn't dare say so to Cagalli even though he knew she would be thinking of the same thing. All he knew was that he would fight to his death for Orb, and for her. But he would live. He must live. It wasn't his time to die yet. Athrun allowed the lever to transport them to the Justice's cockpit and he climbed inside, leading Cagalli in to stoop beside him. His fingers found the switches easily as he activated his mobile suit.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

G.U.N.D.A.M Complex

Athrun's eyes focused on the image of Kira and Lacus below, and he exhaled slowly.

"Athrun…" Cagalli trailed off, biting her lips slightly.

The blue-haired Coordinator shook his head. "Don't worry, Cagalli. For sure… we'll survive this one," he said quietly.

"Take care, Lacus," Kira said softly, embracing her tight. He was in his blue pilot suit and he gazed at her lovingly, hiding his concern towards the pink-haired songstress. Lacus, as usual, was stunning and beautiful in a white, pink and purple dress, even with her worried face. "I'll come back to you, I promise. So… please wait for me, okay?" he said, smiling at her.

"Kira…" Lacus said quietly, the worry clenching her chest. If she had it her way, she would have wanted to lock Kira up somewhere safe and send him to a place where she knew was peaceful, like she had done with her personal Haro army. But Lacus knew it was futile. She could only remain on the Archangel and watch him battle from afar, facing unknown enemies and emotions, and hope that he would not leave her. She wanted to cry. But she, too, knew that she needed to be strong. "It's alright, Kira…" Lacus found herself saying, surprising the brown-haired Coordinator. "I'm alright now. And I'll fight with you, too," she said quietly, wanting to convince him that the crying Lacus he had comforted a week ago was now strong again.

Kira gazed at her deeply. His violet eyes seemed to penetrate her and Lacus wondered if Kira could see how terrified she actually felt, even through her strength. But if he had seen it, he didn't say anything. The brown-haired Coordinator merely stepped forwards and planted a gentle kiss on her lips before hugging her. "I love you, Lacus. Thank you. I'll be back soon," he said, releasing her with a warm smile before turning to run to the new Ultimate Freedom. She watched, hopelessly rooted to the spot, as he grasped the lever to the Gundam and transported himself into the cockpit of the Freedom. Kira strapped himself into the seat of the mobile suit and activated the Gundam.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

G.U.N.D.A.M Complex

Miriallia and Athrun's face appeared on two sides of the screen in front of him and he looked up at the girl with turquoise eyes. "_Are you ready?_" Miriallia asked.

Kira nodded. "Yes. Athrun?"

"_Ah. Let's go, Kira._"

"_Take care, Kira. Athrun and Cagalli, too," _Miriallia said, smiling at them. Kira nodded firmly and felt his mobile suit move towards the Archangel catapult system. After five years, it nearly felt as if he had never left the ship at all.

"_Preparing mobile suits for launch. Connecting APU. Catapult, connected. Freedom, standby. Systems, all green. Freedom, please launch!"_

"Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"

"_Justice, please launch!"_

"_Athrun Zala. Justice. Launching!_"

The two mobile suits launched from the Archangel and out of Orb's hangar, one a shade of crimson and the other a white, blue and gold mobile suit, instantly travelling towards Orb's military headquarters. Kira remained silent, as Athrun and Cagalli did, all unable to voice anything after expecting the attack to happen for so long. A wave of emotions clouded Kira's mind as he flew in the Freedom, the images of the mobile suits he had fought against coming back to him. How many battles has it been since RENEGADE declared war on them? How many more would come? He knew that fighting wasn't futile, but at the same time, there was no denying the fact that he was truly tired of pulling the trigger and ending people's lives, no matter how many he had saved. But he must fight. He had promised himself before Chairman Durandal during the last war, and that was also why he had joined ZAFT. He must fight.

They were cleared to land as soon as they reached the military headquarters and Kira slowed down his mobile suit, landing first and opening the cockpit to transport himself down. The Justice followed, and Athrun touched down with Cagalli almost as soon as Kira's foot landed on the cemented ground in front of the headquarters. Kira took off his helmet and walked over to Cagalli, immediately pulling her into a reassuring hug.

"Take care, Cagalli," he managed, finding no other words of comfort that he could give to her. Cagalli nodded amidst her silent tears, which she swallowed back almost as soon as it escaped her eyelids. She would not appear weak before Orb's military men, and it was only in front of Athrun and Kira that she could have the luxury of showing how she really felt. Kira released her, giving her a firm nod before walking towards the side of the military headquarters that would lead him to the Yamakaze units he would be commanding. He left Athrun and Cagalli alone to say their goodbyes, for now, and only glanced once to his sister to see that Athrun had pulled her into a tight hug, kissing her gently as they waited for the inevitable.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union – Second Generation Minerva-class Ship, <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

"They have given the answer. Orb will fight," Daisuke said, turning towards Ryuu Apene who was seated on one of the four seats in the _Renegade_'s bridge.

Ryuu Apene, leader of the Blue Cosmos, nodded with a satisfied smile on his lips. "Very good, Commander Aiten. I'd like for you to engage the Archangel. That Captain Murrue Ramius… I have a score to settle with her. Launch all the mobile suits from this ship! We will attack!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union – Bridge, Archangel (Present Day) (Lacus &amp; Archangel Crew)<strong>

Lacus seated herself in the seat of the co-pilot, her azure eyes burning with determination as soon as she watched the Freedom and Justice take off towards Orb's mainland. She listened as Murrue gave her orders to have the Archangel launch from Orb's hangar and helped with the controls where she could, but it was clear that the ship was able to pilot itself even without her – Arnold Neumann, the ship's pilot, was a very talented and experienced pilot, and he had steered the Archangel without the help of a co-pilot countless times. But Lacus knew she couldn't sit still and do nothing. She had been broken when Aprillius Four fell, but she knew that her battle was still not yet complete. She would fight where she could, and she knew it was her duty to do so. Everyone else was fighting the same battle, after all.

The evacuation order had already been given, as well as the answer to the ultimatum, telling the Earth Alliance and ZAFT that Orb will fight. It was an invasion, pure and simple, and Orb decided to stay strong to their ideals in the end. Lacus knew how hard the situation must be for Cagalli. She had witnessed, of course, how Cagalli had nearly been broken during the last war to keep Orb from fighting, even going as far as marrying Yuna Roma Seiran. But, now five years older than that time, the Princess of Orb was clearly stronger, and her strength led the many men of Orb willing to fight by her side. Perhaps it was a noble thing to do. Perhaps it was what people would consider as 'right'. But it would still cause death.

"All hands, level one battle stations!" Murrue commanded as they launched from the hangar. "The Archangel will pursue the second-class Minerva ship, _Renegade_. Keep to the shores! We will try to keep from expanding the battlefield if at all possible!"

Lacus's eyes narrowed slightly as ships from both ZAFT and the Earth Alliance came into view, and she listened as Sai reported the unbelievably large number of the ships surrounding them. ZAFT's Vosgulov-class submarines. The Earth Alliance's Spengler-class carriers. Fraser-class escort ships. Arkansas-class cruisers. Des-Moines-class cruisers. The ZAKUs. GOUFs. Enigmas. Windams. She could easily identify the Minerva-class ship, no doubt the RENEGADE flagship, coming towards them along with the rest from the sea. Orb's forces were already stationed at their territorial waters, and as mobile suits launched from both sides, the flashes of beams and explosions met her eyes and she clenched her teeth slightly.

"Prepare the mobile suits! Have Shinn, Lunamaria and Commander Flaga launch at once! Commander Waltfeld will remain on stand-by. Miriallia, please ask Lunamaria and Commander Flaga to remain close to the Archangel!"

"Yes, Captain!" Miriallia answered, immediately turning to the screen in front of her. "Shinn, are you ready?"

"_Yes!"_

"Preparing mobile suits for launch. Connecting APU. Catapult, connected. Destiny Gaia, standby. Systems, all green. Destiny, please launch!"

"_Shinn Asuka. Destiny. Launching!"_

"Enigma, please launch!"

"_Lunamaria Hawke. Enigma. Launching!"_

"Akatsuki, please launch!"

"_Mu La Flaga. Akatsuki. Let's go!"_

Shinn's black and gold Gundam boosted its thrusters, immediately racing away from the Archangel and heading straight towards the other mobile suits, taking out its beam rifle and shooting them down, one by one. The white Enigma and gold Akatsuki followed, shooting from afar while still keeping close to the Archangel as they entered the battlefield. A blur of white and blue suddenly whizzed past the Archangel's right side and a crimson mobile suit followed, appearing from behind as it flew past the Archangel from the ship's left side. Both mobile suits were followed by a squadron of red and gold Yamakazes, Orb's newest mobile suits. _Kira…_

Lacus clenched her fists and turned towards Murrue and Miriallia. "Please open all the communication channels," she requested, her voice low but authoritative.

Murrue raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Lacus… Are you sure?"

She nodded once. "Yes… There may be ZAFT soldiers or even the Earth Alliance soldiers who do not wish to fight us. Everyone is fighting so hard, and I must not run away from what I need to do," Lacus said determinedly, her voice firm. She remembered how she had promised Kira earlier that she was truly fine now, that she, too, would fight. "So… please, Murrue-san…" Lacus said, her azure eyes gazing deeply into Murrue's.

The Captain nodded slowly. "I understand. Miriallia, please open all communication channels," Murrue commanded.

Lacus turned back to her station, putting on the small communications device to her ear. As soon as they entered the battlefield, Lacus spoke, her voice clear and unwavering; "Everyone. Soldiers of ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. This is Lacus Clyne of the Archangel," Lacus announced, watching as the fight paused momentarily at her interruption. "Under unfortunate circumstances, I have been taken against my will and am currently unable to return to PLANTs. But I still keep my responsibility in leading PLANTs where they might have gone astray, so please listen now. Please withdraw your forces from these territorial waters. ZAFT must not participate in this battle. The Earth Alliance should also stop. You are fighting for the wrong reasons against your own kind. Do you believe that is truly the way to obtain peace?" Lacus's brows pulled together, her eyes burning as she watched several mobile suits halt in surprise. "To ZAFT's soldiers, please. If you still have the pride you once had when you put on those uniforms, then please believe that this is not the fight for ZAFT or for PLANTs. I do not agree with RENEGADE's ideals. I do not agree with the actions of Yuri Amalfi. And I do not believe we should fight each other to obtain peace. To ZAFT and the Earth Alliance soldiers, please pull back your forces!"

Everyone on the ship seemed to hold their breath as they waited for the answer to Lacus's statement, but even they knew that her attempt in peace was a long shot. Cagalli had tried a similar approach during the last war in trying to get Orb to stop fighting against ZAFT, but military men listened to their superiors even against their will, and that was what was happening now. Much to Lacus's dismay, the fighting resumed as the familiar Minerva-class ship turned towards them.

"The _Renegade_ has locked onto us!"

"Evade! Thirty degrees port! Valiants, take aim. Fire!" Murrue commanded.

Neumann steered and the Archangel fired, both high-energy beams meeting and exploding between them. The Archangel rose, moving away from the Orb fleet towards a much more remote area where their attacks wouldn't be led astray towards an unsuspecting ship.

"Captain! Five mobile suits has launched from the _Renegade_!" Sai reported, his hand moving towards the listening device on his right ear. "Heat signals detected. Advocate, Zantetsuken and Premium! And two unknown mobile suits!"

Lacus turned in surprise, her eyes immediately on Sai. Even Murrue seemed surprised. "Two mobile suits?"

"Visual image coming up," Miriallia said, the screen to their right immediately flickering to life as the image of the five mobile suits were shown. Lacus had already seen images of the dark green Advocate as well as the orange and teal Zantetsuken. She had also came face-to-face with the Premium; a white and blue Gundam with a blue flyer. This time, the Premium was equipped with a red flyer, and Lacus could easily see that its weapons had changed from what they had seen last time. It was clear that this unit was able to change its weapons and her eyebrows pulled slightly at the discovery. The other mobile suit was dark red, and the other was turquoise. They moved away from the _Renegade_ and towards the mobile suit battle. Lacus watched, worried, as the Advocate and Zantetsuken immediately began to fire at the Freedom, while the Premium attacked the Destiny. The dark red mobile suit began attacking Athrun's crimson Justice and they fought a blur of red and crimson in the sky.

"_Kuso. Those units are Gundams. To think they still have more of those units on board…"_ Mu cursed from his Akatsuki. A group of Earth Alliance Windams had followed the _Renegade_, and both Mu and Lunamaria were fighting against them.

Murrue clenched her fists. "Prepare the sledgehammers. Gottfrieds, aim for the cannons. Gottfrieds. Fire!"

The _Renegade_ evaded, the Archangel's beam attack inflicting no damage whatsoever except for a very slight graze to the ship's side. Lacus's brows pulled together and she turned when Miriallia's voice reached her again. "Captain! There's a message from the _Renegade_! They request a dialogue."

"What?" Murrue asked, turning in surprise. "A dialogue at a time like this?" she repeated incredulously.

Lacus bit her lips slightly. "If they have something they need to tell us, we should listen," she said softly.

Murrue glanced at the pink-haired songstress and eventually nodded. "That is fine. Please connect to the channel they're on, Miriallia," she said, picking up the receiver of the ship and coming face-to-face with Ryuu Apene, the leader of Blue Cosmos. The Archangel's crew couldn't help but gasp in surprise, but Lacus clenched her teeth. _That is… Blue Cosmos's leader, Ryuu Apene. Why he is on board the Renegade? What would he want with Murrue-san..?_

"_Murrue Ramius. I knew it. You are still the Captain of the Archangel?"_ Ryuu asked as he spoke from the _Renegade_, his eyes cold and calculating.

Murrue bit her lips. Whatever she had expected, coming face-to-face with Ryuu Apene wasn't it. "Yes. We are fighting to stop this nonsense of separating the Naturals and Coordinators. If at all possible, please pull back your forces from Orb," she answered coolly.

Ryuu laughed. "_As expected from the Archangel Captain. But unfortunately, that will go against RENEGADE, and I cannot allow it. As long as we still have fear towards each other, even friends are sometimes forced to fight and kill one another, isn't that right?_"

Murrue's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"_I will make you my enemy even if we are fighting on the same side in this battle, Captain Ramius. You have killed one of my closest friends, my leader and mentor, during the first war. Muruta Azrael was a brilliant leader of Blue Cosmos, even more so than that blasted Djibril, who I am more than happy to learn about his death. But you sacrificed one of your own friends to kill him. As noble as you seem to be, Archangel, even you are not so noble after all, and I wonder what the world would think if they learn of the truth_."

"Murrue-san…" Lacus trailed off softly, but Murrue wasn't listening.

"I don't know what you mean."

"_Don't you now? Even if you are so innocent to not know of the truth, I've really had it with you and your ship, Captain Ramius. Along with that mobile suit… the Freedom,"_ Ryuu's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the screen scornfully. "_I've had it with the Archangel. They deserve to die, just as all those in this pathetic little country deserves to die to disallow the Naturals to rise where they should. You think I didn't know your plan? How you purposefully place that coward Badgiruel into the Earth Alliance, fake a fight between both of you, so you could kill Muruta Azrael?"_

Murrue was surprised. Her eyes widened and her hand shook slightly at the mentioning of her old friend, Natarle Badgiruel. The last time she had spoken to Natarle had been before her death, perished at the hands of the Archangel. Natarle had, at the time, fired at the Archangel, and Mu, piloting the Strike Gundam, had taken the impact of the attack and had died before her eyes. Murrue had screamed and commanded the Archangel to fire then, its Lohengrin penetrating the Dominion's bridge, killing both Natarle and Muruta Azrael right there and then. But they had been forced to be enemies at the time… so why was Ryuu Apene saying all this now?

Ryuu arched an eyebrow, and for a moment, his face looked interested. "_Is it possible you really didn't know? No, that is impossible. Once an Archangel member, always an Archangel member. Even that Justice pilot Athrun Zala turned traitor for you countless times. And that stupid girl… Lacus Clyne,"_ he spat. "_Maybe you don't know all the details, but I do. How 'noble' you view yourselves to be, isn't that right, Captain Ramius? How that blasted Badgiruel had commanded for the crew to abandon their stations and escape, how she had trapped Azrael in the Dominion, shot at him, fought with him, preventing him from attacking. I heard you lost a pilot when Azrael managed to fire the Dominion's Lohengrin, but you finished them off. You were willing to kill one of your own for this so-called noble battle of yours, and still refused to back down. But let me tell you this, Captain Ramius. I will personally put you and your crew, as well as this silly country, through hell for what you have done."_

The screen flickered off and Murrue found herself frozen in her seat, her eyes wide as she stared at the black screen. She could barely hear Sai's warning as the _Renegade_ locked onto them, could barely feel the impact as the beam attack grazed the ship as Neumann steered to safety. Lacus's anxious voice was barely registered and Murrue clenched her fists tightly, the tears now streaming down her face. "Prepare the Lohengrin! Target: _Renegade_. Fire!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union – Ultimate Freedom (Present Day) (Kira Yamato)<strong>

After he had parted with Cagalli, Kira had encountered Fleet Admiral Kisaka and they had discussed matters briefly before Athrun joined them. With a promise that Cagalli would be cared for under him, Kisaka left them and Kira and Athrun had both rushed over to the twenty-four Yamakaze unit pilots that were waiting for them. The two young pilots would be commanding a group of twelve Yamakazes each and would split up in the battlefield. The attack would mainly come from the north and west of Orb, and that was where Athrun and Kira would head to. The Archangel, they knew, would be right in the middle of the battlefield, at the north-west of the small nation. As soon as they received news of the attack, they launched, and Athrun led his team west while Kira proceeded to move north.

"Yamakaze units! Direct your attacks to the ships. The Murasame units can handle the mobile suits. Follow me!" Kira commanded as they whizzed past the Archangel and towards the North, immediately locking all his armaments to the approaching Windams and firing instantly. Various weapons equipped on the blue and white mobile suits exploded and Kira slowed the Freedom, allowing the twelve Yamakazes to move past him towards the enemy battleships. Here, they would be facing more Earth Alliance enemies, and Kira could already identify the familiar Earth Alliance Spengler-class carriers, Fraser-class escort ships, Arkansas-class cruisers and Des-Moines-class cruisers lined at the shores of Orb, like tiny plastic boats that continuously fired their missiles. Kira did not know if the fleet had come from JOSH-A or if they had already received their back-up from Panama, but it did not change the fact that they were attacking the one nation he had been ready to die protecting.

Kira halted the Freedom, his eyes wide with surprise as Lacus's voice greeted him from the Archangel. He turned, his eyes focusing on the white and red ship, noticing how the other mobile suits had also stopped in surprise. _Lacus…_ Kira thought, clenching his teeth together as he listened to her attempt in trying to stop the battle from where she stood. He remembered her pain, how she had cried in his arms and slept after ZAFT had turned their backs against her. He remembered how the _Voltaire_ and Aprillius Four had fallen in their attempt to save her, and he had seen her sorrow… as well as Athrun's. But even so… she was courageous, taking the step of announcing her presence to those in the battlefield as she continued to try and approach the path of peace.

"_I'm alright now. And I'll fight with you, too,"_

_Lacus…_ Kira turned his eyes towards the _Renegade_ ship a distance away from him, his eyes widening in horror as it turned and fired, providing the offensive forces with the answer to Lacus's statement.

"_Kuso_! Lacus!" Activating the multi-lock weapons system, Kira locked onto the armaments of two cruisers. The Freedom moved back, its armaments ready to fire, but just before Kira could attack, a high-energy beam cannon fired and Kira thrust his mobile suit back, immediately turning towards the source of the attack. He had never seen the two mobile suits, of course, but the information he received from the Archangel had been enough for him to identify the two Gundams as the Advocate and the Zantetsuken.

"_Freedom..!"_ The Advocate pilot shouted angrily, its two beam sabers already equipped as it moved towards him. Kira's eyes darted to the Zantetsuken and noticed the Hyper Impulse Cannon resting on its shoulder – it must've been that mobile suit that had fired earlier.

Boosting his thrusters, Kira dodged the Advocate and lashed out with his beam sabers, gritting his teeth as he avoided the long-range shots of the Zantetsuken as it began to fire its beam rifles. "Stop it! Why are you doing this?" Kira shouted angrily as he lashed out.

Genei laughed from the Advocate. "_It's a good thing you didn't die when you did, Freedom pilot. The Advocate and Zantetsuken has been designed specifically to defeat you. It doesn't matter why we're fighting. You need to die!"_ he cried out angrily, moving back to deploy his missiles from the Advocate's flyer pack.

"Shimatta!" The Freedom plunged down, its distance a little too close for comfort as the Advocate fired its missiles. Kira clenched his teeth and took a swift turn, his Freedom moving up and taking another sharp turn to avoid the missiles. The Freedom's armaments locked onto the speeding oversized bullets and fired. The sky was filled with multiple red and orange explosions instantly and Kira moved back, clenching the controls tight. The alarms sounded in his cockpit deafeningly and Kira raised his head in alarm as multiple shots were issued around him. He barely registered boosting his thrusters, the Freedom ascending quickly as the Advocate's six DRAGOONs were deployed. Amidst the explosions and smoke, the Zantetsuken's Hyper Impulse Cannon fired again, sending another wave of alarms in the Freedom's cockpit. "Kuso!" Kira cursed.

An image of a violet-coloured jewel exploded from the back of his mind and Kira activated the antimatter catalyst system, the Freedom immediately blurring from sight as he avoided the multiple attacks just in time. Kira took out his beam saber, striking out and destroying three of the DRAGOON units before firing instantly at the two Gundams. _These DRAGOON units…_

"_Hey… That Freedom of yours is more powerful than I thought it would be. But don't you dare get cocky with us!"_ Genei shouted angrily as he took out his railguns, immediately beginning to shoot from afar. _Kuso… That speed… Commander Aiten didn't tell us about this…_

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union – Destiny Gaia (Present Day) (Shinn Asuka)<strong>

They were being forced back. The fight, which had originally started in Orb's territorial waters, was now being taken to the lands, and Shinn was not in the least happy about it. Forces from Panama had joined them, as well as from ZAFT's Victoria base. He had shot down as many mobile suits as he could, and had proceeded in doing his best in sinking as many ships as possible, but one darned mosquito wouldn't leave him alone and Shinn's patience was running thin. His red eyes glared at the blue and white Premium Gundam which had constantly interfered with his attacks. The pilot was amazingly skilful, and Shinn wondered if the pilot was a Coordinator. He knew, of course, that it was a female pilot, and his mind was momentarily reminded of a particular Stellar Louisser, but Shinn immediately shook that thought away. _It's impossible… They couldn't possibly have made those again…_ he thought, the memory of the three Extended pilots from the last war threatening to cloud his mind.

Orb had no real chance of winning this battle, and they knew it. Even against ZAFT or the Earth Alliance, Orb had perished more than once after a full-on battle, but now that they were against both, it was a failed battle from the start. But it was by no means a futile battle: Shinn knew that much for sure. Orb just didn't have enough forces, and with both the EA and ZAFT adamant in annihilating the neutral nations, it couldn't be helped. Shinn _did_ feel his respect towards Cagalli grow as he battled, however. Even with their small numbers, the defence lines hardly wavered as Cagalli strategically moved in more forces from the military headquarters.

A few beams struck his black and gold Destiny and Shinn raised his head in surprise, immediately boosting his thrusters, his mobile suit transforming into a fighter-plane mobile armour and taking a swift turn to face the Premium again. "Kuso! Don't get cocky with me!" Shinn shouted angrily, immediately firing his beam assault cannon which took a direct hit on one of the wings of her red flyer pack. _It's these guys… It's these guys who started it…_ Shinn thought furiously, his hands gripping the Destiny's controls tight.

An image of a red-coloured jewel exploded in the back of his mind and the black and gold Gundam transformed into its mobile suit form again. Shinn turned towards the struck Premium, taking out both his beam boomerangs and throwing it at her before shooting with his beam rifle repeatedly. The Premium boosted its thrusters as it avoided the boomerangs and dodged the beam attacks. Shinn was barely aware of several mobile suits whizzing past behind him towards the mainland, followed closely by a few Murasame fighters. The two beam boomerangs turned, striking the Premium when it was occupied with Shinn's gunfire and it immediately ejected its red flyer which exploded between them.

Shinn smirked as the Gundam turned, but Miriallia's face suddenly appeared on the right screen of his Gundam. "Shinn! Those mobile suits! They're carrying missile launchers and they're heading towards the shelters!" she informed.

"_What?_" Shinn cried out exasperatedly, turning to see the mobile suits already well within Orb's mainland. From the corner of his eye, he could see a golden flyer exiting the _Renegade_ and latching onto the Premium, reminding him of the special catapult system associated with his Impulse from the last war that enabled him to change his weapons. But he had no time to deal with that Gundam. "Kuso!" Shinn cursed, his mobile suit transforming again as he boosted his thrusters towards the enemy mobile suits. The Murasames, he noted, had been taken down in their pursuit. "KUSO! Stop!" Shinn shouted angrily.

There were seven shelters in total in Orb, and they were extremely close to the third shelter which was the one furthest away from the middle of the nation. Shinn's eyes widened in horror as he spotted the many vehicles lining up from the shelter. There was no way the shelters could provide protection for all the citizens, but would they really be cold-hearted to attack civilians who couldn't fight? The mobile suits halted and immediately launched their missiles towards the unsuspecting citizens below.

"NO! NO, STOP IT! Those are… Those are..!" Shinn boosted his thrusters, equipping both his beam rifles and shooting the missiles one by one. He could see the Orb civilians scampering from their vehicles and running away, some even running towards the shelters, as the missiles exploded in front of them before they could make impact.

"_Stop interfering!"_ A familiar voice caught his ears and at the same time, warning alarms were issued in his cockpit. Instinctively, Shinn dodged as the Premium attacked, moving with nothing more than a blur that began to interfere with his detection signals. The Premium had changed its flyer, which was now gold instead of red, and Shinn realised that she was using the Voiture Lumiere propulsion system that had been equipped with his Destiny during the previous war.

"KUSO! STOP IT!" Shinn shouted angrily, taking out his beam sabers and lashing out again.

The Premium's speed was overwhelming, and as Shinn became occupied in trying to keep himself from being hit, the enemy mobile suits fired their missiles again. The black-haired Coordinator's eyes widened in horror and he moved back as, too late, the missiles struck the harmless vehicles below, sending a shockwave as a large blast exploded from the ground below, leaving nothing behind.

"No…" Shinn trailed off, his hands shaking as he gripped the Destiny Gaia's controls. _It couldn't be…_

The image of his sister appeared in his mind, running and smiling amidst the golden falling leaves of the chilly autumn weather. The image of his parents, smiling encouragingly and proudly at their family that had not spilled any blood by remaining neutral. The image of a pink handphone falling from the cliff, and he had chased after it. A scalding hot explosion from behind him, and being thrown off his feet and onto the hard ground. Turning, seeing the destruction… finding his sister… or rather, what was left of it… her arm, which she had always used to reach out to him and play with him, to help their mother and to rummage through his stuff to annoy him…

The mobile suits moved, heading towards the next shelter, and Shinn shouted angrily, crying out as angry tears threatened to roll down his cheeks. "STOP!" he boosted his thrusters, giving chase and taking no notice of the Premium Gundam, refusing to believe that they were being defeated in this way.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union – Infinite Justice (Present Day) (Athrun Zala)<strong>

Athrun breathed deeply, sweat rolling down his face as he clutched the controls of the Justice, his green eyes glaring at the two mobile suits in front of him, now identified as the Apocalypse and the Imperial. The two Gundams had engaged him in battle continuously as they fought against the ZAFT forces and Athrun clenched his teeth angrily. He had little doubt that the two pilots he was facing were both Coordinators like himself. He had experience fighting with Extendeds, of course, but he hardly believed that Extendeds had the ability to fight with such intensity like Coordinators. Already, he was aware that they were losing quickly. Their forces were running out, and the battlefield had already been well expanded into the mainland.

He had seen Shinn give chase towards the enemy mobile suits earlier, and had witnessed the missile attack on the third shelter of Orb. He had seen Kira, heavily damaged, battling against the Advocate and Zantetsuken before finally inflicting enough damage on the two to enable himself to escape and pursue the enemy mobile suits with Shinn. The ZAFT mobile suits he was facing were closing in, and they were dangerously close to the military headquarters. Athrun gritted his teeth, furious with how the battle was turning out, even if they had known the result from the beginning. He could only feel the dull pride in his chest that Orb's military men had survived for so long, but they still needed to fight for the civilians. That was what a soldier was supposed to do.

The Apocalypse moved forwards, taking out its sword and activating its Voiture Lumiere propulsion system at the same time. Athrun moved back, his double-edged beam sabers already equipped in his hand and he dodged, boosting his thrusters and attacking furiously.

"Stop it! Orb has already lost their ability to fight, so stop!" Athrun shouted angrily, taking out his beam rifle with his left hand and beginning to shoot.

"_Those weren't our orders,_" the Apocalypse pilot answered, his voice emotionless. Athrun clenched his teeth angrily and lashed out with his beam saber before finally swinging his leg, the beam blades installed finally coming into contact with the Apocalypse's leg, exploding between them.

Athrun cast his eyes around, noticing that the Orb forces were pulling back towards the shelters, the defence lines already broken. It had finally came down to just protecting the civilians who couldn't get into the shelters on time, and Athrun cried out angrily, equipping his rifles and shooting almost blindly at the approaching mobile suits. How many GOUFs, ZAKUs and Enigmas had he disabled? How many ships had he taken down? How many more were there that he needed to fight? Athrun boosted his thrusters, putting some distance away from the Apocalypse and the Imperial and attacking from afar, his emerald eyes cold with fury. Screams and shouts were deafening his ears, both from the opposition and from his own military. They have lost.

"_Aya, we're done here. Let's go!"_ The Apocalypse pilot commanded, boosting his thrusters and moving away from the crimson Justice. Athrun's eyes widened with disbelief as the two Gundams retreated to the heavily damaged _Renegade_ ship. It was the same thing that had happened in the battle with Scandinavia and the attack on Gibraltar. When it was clear that the attacked forces could no longer fight, the ship would retreat and disappear, only appearing again in the next battle. Athrun did not give chase. He halted his Justice, breathing deeply as he glared at the retreating mobile suits.

"_Admiral Zala!"_

A terrified shout from a group of Murasames reached Athrun's ears and he turned, his eyes widening as an Earth Alliance Spengler-class carrier came towards them. The ship had remained well behind the attacking lines earlier, and having more than enough to deal with, the Orb forces and the Archangel had left it alone. Now, it was advancing forward, and a cold hand gripped Athrun's heart as the carrier began to deploy its mobile suits: a group of ten Destroys, heading straight into the mainland.

"Shoot it down! Bring it down! Murasame units! Yamakaze units! Make sure they don't get to the civilians!" Athrun commanded, boosting his thrusters and taking out his beam sabers.

The GFAS-X1 Destroy had firstly been introduced during the second war. It was a mobile suit built for mass destruction, and it had definitely caused more than enough casualties for the Eurasian Federation before it was firstly taken down by Kira Yamato. Now, Athrun could see why they had waited for the last moment to deploy these mobile suits. He understood why that Spengler-class carrier had stayed behind, watching from afar. The retreating _Renegade_ must've been the signal to deploy them.

Athrun engaged himself with one of the Destroys, his left hand equipped with a beam rifle while his right hand held a double-edged beam saber. He swung furiously, shooting and swinging again as he tried to penetrate the Destroy's shield. Several had already reached the mainland and he watched, horrified, as they shot the high-energy beam cannons at the buildings and cities below. A high-energy beam struck a Destroy from behind and it turned, transforming itself into its mobile suit form. _Archangel!_ Athrun realised, spotting the white and red ship.

Crying out furiously, Athrun boosted his thrusters and turned sharply, disengaging his red flyer which then penetrated the Destroy's cockpit, then locking the cannons mounted on his shoulders and firing, causing a large explosion at the shores. Waves rose high, plummeting down like a furious hand, immediately throwing the mobile suits below off-balance. Athrun switched his beam saber for a beam rifle and began to shoot them down, one by one, his mind almost blinded by fury as he tried to control himself from aiming at their cockpits. Multiple beams were suddenly fired and various armaments from different mobile suits exploded, the sky turning a frightening shade of red and orange. Athrun's head shot up.

"Kira!"

"_Athrun! Are you okay? Kuso! Those Destroy units!"_ Kira cursed from his Ultimate Freedom, backing away and locking onto the mobile suits again before firing instantly. Athrun could see Shinn fighting a Destroy from the other side of the battlefield, desperate to keep them away. "_We lost three shelters…" _Kira reported, his voice pained and angered at the same time as he boosted his thrusters and went straight into the heart of the Destroy units.

Athrun clenched his teeth angrily.

"_Admiral Zala! The Headquarters!"_

The shout came from a Murasame, and Athrun turned towards the general direction of Orb's military headquarters, noticing that several mobile suits equipped with missile launchers were speeding towards the large building, ready to deploy their missiles. With an angry cry, Athrun boosted his thrusters and gave chase, shooting the missiles as soon as they were deployed, creating another display of red and orange explosions.

"Headquarters! Kuso! Cagalli! Admiral Kisaka!" Athrun shouted, positioning himself between the mobile suits and the Headquarters.

"_Admiral Zala… Protect Cagalli-sama…"_ The answer came from the Headquarters, cracked as the communication lines were jammed, and Athrun recognised it as the voice of one of Orb's senior Admirals.

The missiles were launched again, but it was too late. Athrun fired, his skills too trained to miss any, but he was severely outnumbered. A few missiles escaped and struck the headquarters, the force of the explosion throwing Athrun's crimson Justice back. "CAGALLI! _CAGALLI_!"

Athrun cried out angrily, cold fury racing through his veins as he chased after the retreating mobile suits, shooting them down, one by one, almost uncaring on whether he was disabling or killing. He had just a hair-thin amount of control in preventing himself from aiming at their cockpits, but even that was beginning to be a bother. Hot tears streamed down his face and he tried to tell himself that Cagalli would be safe, that Orb's soldiers would definitely have taken her away before the Headquarters was taken down. As he chased after the mobile suits, he realised that they were heading to yet another shelter.

"_KUSO! STOP!" _Athrun shouted, taking out both his beam sabers and attacking them, leaving each mobile suit with nothing but its cockpit as he lashed out furiously. Even if they no longer had the ability to fight, Athrun still attacked, destroying the mobile suits completely with nothing left but their imprudent lives inside a helpless piece of metal. Taking a sharp turn, Athrun boosted his thrusters and landed at the ruined Headquarters, immediately opening his cockpit and lowering himself. "Cagalli! CAGALLI!" he shouted, running towards the heap of rubble as he tried to find any survivors.

"Athrun..!" A weak voice reached his ears and Athrun turned, immediately spotting Kisaka who was trapped under a heap of rubble. His eyes widened in disbelief as he ran towards the Fleet Admiral, immediately pushing the wreckage off from him. Grasping his hand, Athrun heaved as he pulled Kisaka away, immediately checking for any severe wounds and sighing in relief when he found none.

"Kisaka-san… Where's Cagalli?" Athrun asked, unable to curb the panic from his voice.

"Don't worry. She's safe, she's with Armagi," Kisaka said reassuringly. Athrun's legs nearly gave way from the relief he felt.

"Are you alright? We should get somewhere safe," Athrun said, now worried for the soldier, but Kisaka waved him away.

"I'll be fine. Go and help the Freedom, Athrun. I'll check for survivors here," Kisaka said, his right hand immediately pushing Athrun's back towards the Justice. "Go, now!"

Athrun wanted to argue, but he knew he shouldn't. He gave a firm nod to the Fleet Admiral, praying that nobody would think of attacking the Headquarters again and ran back towards the Justice, strapping himself inside. The Justice activated and Athrun allowed the machine to rise, immediately launching himself amidst the battling mobile suits again. Kira and Shinn, he saw, had already defeated most of the gigantic black units, and only a few more remained. He noted with relief that no more forces were coming in, signalling the end of the battle that they had already lost. The grief, as well as the relief that Cagalli was still alive, nearly drew his mind blank as he launched himself at an attacking Destroy, skilfully equipping his weapons and attacking it as he tried his hardest to bring it down.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown – Second Generation Minerva-class ship, <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

Ryuu Apene leaned back, satisfied, and rested the side of his chin against his knuckle as he watched the changing images of the screen in front of him, showing the destruction of that one troublesome country he had always hated. He hadn't liked the fact that they had retreated early, of course, but the _Renegade_ was a flagship that needed to see the RENEGADE ideals until the end, and being taken down would definitely be a hassle. Besides, that Captain of the Archangel was a little too skilful for his tastes, and he knew it wouldn't be easy to bring it down. Just as how the _Renegade_ had been improved from the previous _Minerva_, the Archangel had definitely upgraded itself since its last battle five years ago as well. Of course, it wouldn't do to battle against an eight-year-old ship without improvement to its armaments.

The battle status of the ship ended, and the bridge moved itself back into its original position. The door slid open and six pilots entered – one of them a mobile armour pilot, while the other five piloted the Gundams earlier. He watched as the silver-haired masked Commander stood and gazed at the six. Part of the reason why they had to retreat was due to the five Gundams running dangerously low on power, with just enough to keep its phase-shift armour on and nothing more.

"Very good job. That troublesome country will not be a bother to us any longer," the Commander said, his voice cool.

Genei stepped forward and crossed his arms. "That Freedom… It's different to the one before," he reported.

Commander Aiten cocked his head curiously. "Really?"

The Extended nodded. "It has an unusual propulsion system. It's very fast."

The Commander seemed to ponder over it momentarily and finally nodded. "That is to be expected. The original Strike Freedom was destroyed in the battle in the South Atlantic Ocean. It must have upgraded itself. In any case, I believe that the Advocate still has the power to defeat it, but perhaps without the Zantetsuken," he said, raising his hand for silence as Tierra stepped forward to argue. "Listen. The Advocate and the Zantetsuken are both artillery mobile suits. While that is beneficial, as the Freedom also generally engages in long-range battles, perhaps a mix would bring it down more easily. The Advocate should work with the Apocalypse after this in trying to bring it down. Tierra, you will pair with the Imperial and try to bring the Justice down. I am not particularly worried about the Destiny's pilot – it seems a little unskilled compared to the Freedom and the Justice."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day)<strong>

Athrun landed his Justice amidst the rubble of what used to be the Orb's mainland, his eyes dull and almost unseeing. He opened the cockpit, grasping the lever and transporting himself down, his eyes cast around the destruction around them. Everywhere he turned was just another large heap of wreckage of what used to be buildings, playgrounds, homes, offices, schools, vehicles. Athrun clenched his hands tightly, bowing his head slightly as he grieved for his nation.

A black and gold mobile suit landed beside his Justice and he turned, watching as Shinn, clad in a red pilot suit as he was, transported himself down and took his helmet off. His red eyes were blazing with the same fire Athrun had seen in the first war, but he could also detect sorrow in the young pilot. "Shinn…" Athrun greeted softly, smiling slightly as Shinn walked over to him.

"I heard about the battle in Scandinavia… I saw the footages… But I didn't know it was going to be like this," Shinn said, his nails digging into his palms. He would have drawn blood if not for the pilot suit he was wearing. Athrun gazed at him, noting that there were tears in the black-haired Coordinator's eyes. "You fought in Scandinavia, right?" Shinn asked, turning his blood-red eyes to Athrun.

"Ah…" Athrun nodded slowly, remembering how that battle had been just as fierce and heartless as this one. He glanced at Shinn and smiled slightly. "This is probably the wrong thing for me to say, and definitely the wrong moment to say it, but… thank you. You fought well," he said, his voice almost emotionless, but he truly felt grateful towards the other Coordinator.

Shinn exhaled slowly. Their attention was taken as a familiar blue, white and gold mobile suit whizzed past them and landed, its right side towards them. The cockpit opened and Kira climbed out, grasping the lever and holding his hand out. Surprisingly, Athrun recognised Lacus in her white and purple dress climbing out from the Freedom's cockpit. Kira placed his arm around her and lowered them to the ground. They walked towards a group of ZAFT soldiers, and Athrun understood at once. "ZAFT supporters… They must've turned against Yuri Amalfi…" he whispered softly.

Shinn nodded and immediately shook his head. "I'm going to help with the others," he muttered, immediately turning and running away from the scene. Athrun could only gaze sadly at the black-haired Coordinator's retreating figure. Shinn's family had been killed in Onogoro, and Athrun knew that this battle must've been hard for him. Shaking his head, Athrun walked over to the group of ZAFT soldiers and watched as Lacus spoke to them in a low but authoritative voice. From the numbers, Athrun guessed that the group must have consisted of two squadrons at most.

"…We do not agree in acts like these, especially to countries that are unable to fight," a ZAFT Commander said, his eyes cast low. "So… Please, if at all possible, we wish to fight with you, Lacus-sama. We have always supported the late Chairman Clyne, and we believe that you will lead us to the path of peace." Lacus lowered her eyes, a small smile appearing on her lips. Perhaps all hope was not lost after all. Kira stepped forward, slowly taking off his helmet and smiled as gasps of surprise echoed around the group. The previous Commander's eyes widened in disbelief. "Commander Yamato! You… You're the pilot of the Freedom?" he sputtered.

Kira nodded slowly. "Yes… I'll be glad to fight together with you," he said, stepping forward to offer his hand. They shook, and Kira smiled warmly at them, but Athrun could easily see the sorrow in the depths of those violet eyes. Finally noticing his friend standing by the side, Kira turned, his face a mix of surprise and relief. "Athrun," he greeted, immediately walking over to the blue-haired Coordinator. Athrun stayed where he was, blocking out the surprised gasps of the ZAFT soldiers who recognised him as Athrun Zala, son of Patrick Zala.

"Kira," Athrun said quietly as his old friend reached him. "Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes flickering momentarily to Kira's side.

Kira followed his gaze and turned his eyes back towards him, nodding to signal that he understood. "Don't worry, Athrun. I'm fine. Is Cagalli safe?"

"I found Kisaka at the ruined Headquarters. He said she's safe with Armagi."

"I see. Thank goodness," Kira sighed, relieved. He turned away, his eyes scanning the destruction surrounding them. Even after fighting for so long, they could not rest. They would need to search for survivors and help where they could. "Let's go, Athrun."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb Union – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

As the Akatsuki docked safely at the Archangel hangar, Mu leaned back and rested his back against the seat of the cockpit, his eyes cast upwards as he tried to organise his thoughts. His hands were once again stained with the lives of those he had taken, for as much as he wanted to be, Mu wasn't as skilled as Kira or Athrun who could easily disable the mobile suits they fought against. He had tried his best, of course, but even he knew that countless lives had been lost by his hand. More troubling than that was what he had learned from Ryuu Apene, who had contacted the Archangel at the start of the battle with an astounding, almost unbelievable revelation.

Mu had known, of course, that Natarle Badgiruel had been the Captain of the Dominion, forced to fight against Murrue on board the Archangel during the first war. He remembered how the Dominion had fired, and he had taken the impact with the Strike's shield as he fought to protect the woman he loved, and he knew he would have died from the attack. Somehow, he had survived, and his memories modified, then identifying himself as Neo Roanorke. Even after he had regained his memories, he found it hard to believe that Natarle had actually issued the attack on them, but he bore her no ill will, knowing that she had her duties as a soldier. He did not know, of course, that Murrue had fired the Lohengrin which led to Natarle's death, along with the then leader of Blue Cosmos, Muruta Azrael. Yet, the words of Ryuu Apene echoed in his mind again…

"…_How 'noble' you view yourselves to be, isn't that right, Captain Ramius? How that blasted Badgiruel had commanded for the crew to abandon their stations and escape, how she had trapped Azrael in the Dominion, shot at him, fought with him, preventing him from attacking. I heard you lost a pilot when Azrael managed to fire the Dominion's Lohengrin, but you finished them off. You were willing to kill one of your own for this so-called noble battle of yours, and still refused to back down."_

Mu shook his head with a small sigh and opened the cockpit of the Akatsuki, lowering himself onto the ground. He was greeted immediately by Kojiro Murdoch, the Archangel's senior technician, and Mu gave a thumb's up. "How's the Archangel?" he asked.

Murdoch shook his head. "Bad. Thrusters hit, Gottfrieds damaged, as well as the Valiants. We're facing rough times here," he reported shortly, his thumb then moving to point at the Akatsuki. "How's that?"

"Nothing too damaging," Mu reassured. The Akatsuki was a strong mobile suit, and he knew that the repairs could easily put it back into shape soon. "Has the kid returned?"

"Nope," Murdoch shrugged. "Kira landed for a minute earlier and left with Lacus, but that's it. Athrun's still out there, so is that Shinn guy and his pal, Lunamaria," he said, running his hand through his hair in frustration. Shinn and Lunamaria had both returned to the Archangel once in mid-battle to resupply, but they hadn't returned since the end of the fight. Mudoch knew that the power would still hold for a while, but he sometimes wished that the young pilots wouldn't push themselves too hard.

Mu nodded slowly, understanding coming over him. "Thanks," he said, turning to leave.

"You should go and look for the Captain," the senior technician called. "It's a shock for all of us…" he muttered, turning away to work on the repairs again.

Without turning to look at Murdoch again, Mu continued to walk towards the Archangel elevator, his thoughts scattered once again as he ascended. He changed into his Orb uniform quickly and headed straight to Murrue's office where he suspected the Captain must be at. He doubted that she would still be in the Archangel bridge. The red and white ship had landed, and quite a number of the crew members were already in Orb's mainland, helping where possible. He had seen them when he had piloted his Akatsuki back to the Archangel earlier.

Mu moved towards the room and the door slid open, revealing the one woman he had been looking for: his companion, his comrade, his wife… Murrue was sitting by her desk, her right fingers playing with her fringe as she rested her forehead against her palm. She raised her head as Mu entered, her warm brown eyes gazing into his deeply as he approached her. "Murrue…" Mu called softly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She was quivering, and she lowered her eyes, the tears immediately flowing down her cheeks. "I didn't know, Mu… When she fired, and when you… when you… I didn't know…" Murrue said softly, her shoulders shaking as she tried to contain her tears.

It hurt him to see her pained like this, and it was even more frustrating that he had been the reason for her fury that led to her action in firing the Lohengrin during the first war. Gently, Mu took her hand and pulled her towards him, hugging her tight. "You couldn't have known, Murrue…" he said, frustrated that he could not say anything that was more reassuring.

"I killed her…"

"No," Mu shook his head, pushing her away slightly so he could lock his eyes into hers. "You did what you had to. She would have understood. She had died the death she knew she wanted, if what Apene said was true," he said, clenching his jaw as Murrue continued to cry.

To Mu, what was most saddening about the whole incident was that throughout the seven years since the incident, they had lived with the fact that Natarle had fired and had placed the blame on her completely. She had been the commanding officer, and she was therefore responsible for what had happened. That was what Murrue had believed, and admittedly, what Mu himself had always thought when he remembered the dark-haired officer. But they hadn't understood Natarle Badgiruel at all. They had not seen what she had done, the sacrifice she had made, in order to help them bring peace to the world.

* * *

><p><strong>MVF-M20A Yamakaze<br>**

**Unit type:** Mass Production Transformable Mobile Suit**  
>Model number:<strong> MVF-M20A  
><strong>Code name:<strong> Yamakaze  
><strong>Manufacturer:<strong> Morganroete Inc.  
><strong>Operator: <strong>Orb Union  
><strong>Launched:<strong> C.E 79  
><strong>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, standard cockpit in torso

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>18.30 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>74.69 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Red and Gold**  
><strong>

**Powerplant:** Ultracompact Energy Battery with power extender

**Armaments**  
>2 x M2M5D 12.5mm CIWS, mounted in head<br>4 x M2M5D 12.5mm CIWS mounted on chest  
>1 x Type 70J Kai beam saber (stored in right hip)<br>1 x Type 72 high-energy beam cannon (stored in back)  
>1 x Type 72 Kai "Ikazuchi" Beam Rifle (stored in left hip)<br>Anti-air missile launcher (mounted on shoulders)  
>- 6 x Type 66A air-to-air missile<br>Shield, mounted on left arm in mobile suit use

**Optional Equipment**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This was a difficult chapter to write, but I hope I pulled it off in one of the most epic battles planned for this fic. Now that we have just finished Chapter 11, it is safe to say that we are now (or should be) half-way through with this fic. I need to thank everyone here for the constant support with your reviews, favourites, alerts, PMs and of course, with just reading with me up until now. I have never written anything up to 100k, so getting past that mark is a personal accomplishment for me. XD Thanks so much!

I agree that not much can be said about last chapter, which was a transition-chapter. But my thanks go all the same to AngelicFox12 and Mathiasosx for dropping a review regardless for the last chapter. It is really appreciated. As usual, thanks for the alerts and favourites, and thank you for reading! Also, thanks to those who reviewed "Kira's Freedom" and "The World's Dream" as well. As promised, things will just get increasingly intense from this chapter onwards, and I hope you enjoyed this one. Please let me know! The next chapter is scheduled to be uploaded some time between the 9th and 15th September.

**Mathiasosx:** Thanks so much for dropping a review, and for such a heart-warming piece of feedback. :D I'm glad you're enjoying the fic so far, and I hope you'll stay until the end. Thanks for noticing that detail for PHASE SEVEN. I'll have a look at it again. ;D Sorry for the confusion.


	13. PHASE 12: Ghost of the Past

**PHASE TWELVE: Ghost of the Past**

**C.E 79 Orb Union (Present Day)**

"…The civilians will make their way to Heliopolis and Scandinavia. It's not safe to stay here. So, I'd like you to split your forces as well, and head to Heliopolis. Now, more than ever, we need to protect those that are still there."

Athrun approached slowly, in time to hear the command given by Orb's golden-haired princess. Her back was towards him as she faced the commanding officers of what was left of Orb's military – a very small amount, he noted with an aching heart, but still holding on to their lives and ideals as they all were. He paused, his green eyes wavering slightly as he looked over her figure. Even with her back facing him, he could read Cagalli's emotions like an open book. She was dressed in her blue and white military uniform, her head bowed very low and her fists clenching tight. To his eye, he could see her shoulders trembling as she contained her emotions for her broken nation. This was the second time for them to see Orb burned down, but this time, it had been done in a devastating fashion, and he could see the amount of control Cagalli was forcing onto herself.

Of course, it wasn't only him who noticed: the commanding officers of Orb could see it clearly as well.

Kisaka stepped forward, his calm, wise eyes regarding her with a gentle look that Athrun had sometimes seen when he addressed the young Representative. "Cagalli… Sending us to Scandinavia or Heliopolis won't allow us to do anything. We've dispatched enough forces to Heliopolis, and Scandinavia has lost. _We_ have lost. We have decided to accompany the Archangel to fight for those who still wishes to fight against RENEGADE," he said, his voice quiet and gentle, but still holding the authority of a senior commanding officer.

If possible, Cagalli's fists clenched even tighter, her nails digging deep into the flesh of her palms. "No!"

"We have already decided," Kisaka said squarely, moving forward to rest his hand on her shoulder. "I apologise, Cagalli, for stepping over your orders," he said, though the words were unnecessary – Athrun knew full well that Cagalli never minded that in the least, and had never abused her power as the leader of Orb. "We have lost many of our comrades, all who fought because they believe that RENEGADE's path is the wrong path to take. And we wish to continue that battle in their place. This is no longer a fight for Orb, but for the future we wish to have, as the late Uzumi Nara Attha had spoken of," he said.

Cagalli raised her head, her shoulders shaking as she tried to contain her tears. "But..!"

A gentle smile crossed Kisaka's lips. "You have done a wonderful job, Cagalli. But you should understand not to interfere with a man who wishes to fight his battles."

Armagi stepped forward, his eyes shining with tears towards his fallen nation. "Cagalli-sama… We wish to fight with you, under your command, against RENEGADE. So…" he trailed off, immediately bowing in front of her, followed by the rest of the remaining officers there. "Please!" Athrun clenched his hands as he watched their determination, then cast his eyes away as he listened to Cagalli's quiet sobs.

"Yes…" she answered finally, weakly, as she returned the bow, knowing that no words from her would make her soldiers head towards the shelter of Heliopolis. "Thank you… and I'm sorry…"

The small group dispersed, each returning back to their own regiments as they tried to put order again in the broken nation. Kisaka gave his orders firmly, issuing commands that included looking for survivors, making camps, providing medical aid, sending out food as well as to regroup the remaining soldiers and organise the civilians to be transported to somewhere that was safer for them. Athrun listened quietly, still facing Cagalli's back, and when Kisaka turned to leave, he gave a firm nod to the blue-haired Coordinator and Athrun nodded back, signalling that he understood. He waited until they were left alone, his eyes cast around at the wreckage around them. Dusk was approaching fast, and the sky was spattered with a blood-red colour that reflected the lives they had lost in the battle. Athrun exhaled slowly and stepped forward, placing a hand gently on Cagalli's shoulder.

The young princess turned, her eyes widening with surprise as she examined Athrun with her golden eyes. Athrun gazed at her deeply, managing a very small smile to tell her that he had heard what had happened. The tears flowed down her face instantly and he hugged her tight, allowing her to sob into his shoulder as she grabbed him. He tightened his arms around her, squeezing his eyes tight so the tears wouldn't escape his eyelids, though his shoulders shook with the effort. But Athrun said nothing, allowing her to cry freely, for he understood her unspoken words without any effort.

A leader was always responsible for the decisions he took. Whether to send his soldiers into battle, or to keep them away from fighting, each decision came with their own consequences. Fighting might be courageous, but what if the opponents were those unwilling to fight? Keeping away from battles might be cowardly, but what if the reason for battle was unjust? Yet some soldiers might live if they were forced to fight, and those that kept away might be killed. Those were the thoughts that continuously plagued a leader, and Athrun knew that Cagalli would die many times over for her nation. It was one quality of Uzumi Nara Attha's that Cagalli had, even if she was not related to the old leader by blood. He knew that seeing her soldiers fall hurt her more than anything, and her decisions were almost like she was sending them to their deaths. But he knew it wasn't true. Orb's soldiers were loyal, and they had _wanted_ to fight.

When Cagalli's sobs subsided into silent tears, Athrun pulled away gently and took her hand, leading her towards a large heap of wreckage of what used to be a building. He placed his hands on her shoulders, pressing down lightly so she would sit and he moved to sit beside her, his eyes never leaving her face. Her eyes were golden, two orbs shining with all the emotions in the world, and he had been fascinated with them since he first saw them. He had never met anyone with eyes so pure – ones that reflected exactly what the owner was feeling, whether happy or sad. This time, her eyes were questioning and she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Athrun..?" she asked, her voice breaking in the middle as a quiet sob escaped her.

Athrun cast his eyes away, his gaze resting on the pieces of a ruined BuCUE mobile suit. He could just recognise what used to be an Orb Astray unit a short distance away from the BuCUE, now a heap of junk on the ground. Further away from that, there were Earth Alliance Windams and Exuses, all broken, all defeated. Beyond the wreckage, dead bodies were strewn, soldiers and civilians alike. This war was unlike the two wars Athrun had faced before, though the level of cruelty had nearly been the same as that of the previous war, of what the Earth Alliance (namely the Atlantic Federation) had done to the Eurasian Federation with their suppression and Destroy units. In one way, this war was different due to their need to lead rescue searches as well as being soldiers fighting the battle that led to the casualties.

Earlier, Kira and Athrun had both combed a few areas of the cities, searching for survivors. Athrun had gladly discovered that the city had been rather empty to begin with, but then they had spotted a small hand under a large wreckage, and when they had pushed it over, the sight of the mutilated body of a young child had been too revolting to see. Kira had turned, retching onto the ground, his hand pressed painfully against his stomach as he tried to contain his sobs... Eyes shut tight, the groans escaping his lips, his body shaking violently... Athrun had faced similar sights during the last war, but Kira had not, and as he helped the brown-haired Coordinator, he could only be thankful that they had been alone...

"Do you remember the last war, Cagalli?" Athrun asked softly, his eyes turning to the sky as Kira's familiar mobile suit shot past them.

"Yes… But what –"

"Back then, when I first joined ZAFT, I did it to protect you… and Kira. I thought if I had power, if I used the power to defeat those who are causing the hatred, then peace will come again and the fighting will stop. I was an idiot. Back then, I was a real idiot. I believed the Chairman… I knew he wanted peace, just as I wanted it, and I fought under him," Athrun said, choosing his words carefully, still keeping his eyes away from her as he thought back to the previous war. "Have you ever chased your dreams so far that you forget who you are?" he asked quietly, his thoughts turning towards his late father who had fought because of Lenore Zala's death, fought because he did not want to lose any more, but then had shot Athrun in the process of wanting peace.

"Athrun…" Cagalli trailed off, her hand reaching out to touch his tentatively.

He remembered how torn he had been back then,during the second war, to fight for something he could not fully and truly understand and support. He remembered how, back on the _Minerva_, he had scolded Shinn for being the best soldier, the one _he,_ Athrun Zala, should have been, following orders and performing accomplishments that far surpassed other pilots. He remembered how he had envied Shinn's faith and trust in Gilbert Durandal, something he had until he met Kira and learned about the attack done on Lacus. He remembered how he had often gazed into his reflection after he showered, staring deep in his own eyes and realised that, horrifyingly, he did not know who the other person was. Kira and Athrun had always been brothers. If Kira didn't know who Athrun was, then how could he even know himself?

A soldier would fight for his leader, but to be able to do that, their dreams must be the same, they must have the same faith for the same thing, and thus the soldier would fight for that battle, even if it meant death.

Athrun turned his emerald-green eyes towards her, an unreadable smile on his lips. "During the second war, I knew what I wanted: a world where we all don't need to fight anymore. Our dreams never clashed… but our methods did. I had followed the Chairman, believing that he was trying his best to achieve something that seemed impossible, but as a soldier, I had followed the wrong leader. That had been my mistake, Cagalli. Do you understand?" he asked softly.

Cagalli lowered her eyes, biting her lips. "Yes…"

The smile grew wider and Athrun rested his hand on her head. "Don't let Orb's men become the idiot that I was back then," he said, his eyes warm as he watched her.

.

A girl, no more than four of five years old, shivered as she crouched down beside what used to be her old school. She had amazingly escaped unscathed, physically speaking, but her green eyes were fearful, already witnessing so much more than she should in her five young years. She was shaking, hugging herself, already crying so much that she no longer had the strength to continue. Her eyes rested on a young man dressed in a pilot suit, with dark brown hair and calm amethyst eyes, and she pressed her back against the wall further.

Kira looked around, his ears sharp for any tell-tale sounds that might suggest life trapped under the wreckage. As he observed his surroundings, his gaze finally rested on the young girl and he immediately rushed forwards, crouching down slowly in front of her. "Hey…" Kira greeted her softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shrank back, her eyes a brilliant emerald colour that reminded the Coordinator of his best friend. "It was scary, wasn't it? Will you come with me? It's okay. I won't hurt you, I promise," Kira said, spreading his arms to show that he wasn't going to attack. The girl hesitated, and out of fear of being alone more than anything else, she stepped into the open arms, sobbing pathetically like a lost kitten as Kira hugged her and stood, carrying her in her arms.

He had flown in the Freedom earlier, examining the ruins of what used to be one of the most peaceful nations on Earth, and he had understood why Athrun could possibly have his anger snapped back in PLANTs. Kira lowered his eyes, holding the girl protectively as he began to walk towards the nearest camp they had set up among the ruins. He had been to the orphanage in the Freedom earlier, had seen their years of work damaged and scarred and broken, but nobody was there. Caridad, Reverend Malchio and the children had long left for Heliopolis, and that was the smallest amount of comfort that Kira took from the battle of Orb.

A flurry of pink, white and purple hurried over to him and Lacus was beside him at once, a small blanket in her arms which she draped around the little girl. "Ara… Are you alright?" Lacus asked, a kind smile on her lips as she took the girl from Kira's arms. "My name is Lacus Clyne. What is your name?" she asked gently. The girl gave her name, another anonymous name listed as the victims of the battle, but Lacus's eyes merely softened. "I see. That is a pretty name. Come, you must be hungry," she said, carrying the girl towards the safety of the camp.

Kira watched her leave and exhaled slowly, turning his eyes on the crimson sky above them. It was beginning to darken very quickly, and by nightfall, the search for survivors would need to be postponed for a few short hours. Still, Orb's military men were efficient, and they had already gone through the broken shelters, leaving the homes and cities left to comb, though Kira had hardly found anyone there. They were either dead, blown to smithereens by the Destroy units earlier, or had already left to take shelter. A ghost city.

"Kira," Lacus's gentle voice reached him and Kira turned, smiling his thanks as he accepted the mug and bread from her hands. She stood beside him, her azure eyes gazing beyond the wreckage where Kira could just see the lapping water of the vast ocean. "Are you alright, Kira?"

The brown-haired Coordinator nodded, taking a sip from his mug. "I'm fine, Lacus. Don't worry. Are you alright?" he asked, turning his eyes to her worriedly. He was referring to her previous actions, when she had courageously addressed the ZAFT soldiers from the Archangel, even when they had attempted to assassinate her back in Aprillius...

She smiled warmly at him and nodded. "I am," she said, watching interestedly as Kira began to eat his bun. "I talked to those ZAFT soldiers that stayed back. Many do not wish to fight this war," she said quietly. "I already know what I need to do. So… don't worry about me anymore, Kira," she said, her voice the usual calm, melodious voice that had always soothed him.

Kira gazed deeply into her azure eyes, finally nodding when he could see the determination there. "I understand. In that case, that is fine," Kira answered.

Lacus turned, her eyes on the sea again. "It has been difficult for Murrue-san…" she began once Kira finished his bun, then recounting what had happened on the Archangel previously involving Ryuu Apene and the truth about Natarle Badgiruel. Lacus had met the young officer of the Archangel when her life pod had been rescued by Kira during the first war, and it pained her when she learned of the details of the last battle from Miriallia once the Archangel landed. As she spoke, she watched as Kira's eyes began to cloud from grief, the surprise now apparent on his face as he listened.

"I see…" Kira trailed off when Lacus finished, his eyes careful as he finished his drink and placed the mug onto the ground beside them.

"Kira…" Lacus reached forward, her eyes tearful as she rested her gaze on him. She had seen him at his worst those two years after the first war, and it worried her whenever he needed to climb into a mobile suit cockpit. She was fearful that the gentleness in his amethyst eyes would disappear, as well as his child-like innocence that she had come to love. Kira turned to gaze down at her, and she watched with an aching heart as she recognised the wetness in his eyes.

"I'm glad I knew," the young pilot said truthfully, a pained smile on his lips. "Thank you, Lacus."

"War is so sad…" Lacus said quietly, casting her eyes down as she remembered how Kira had fought against Athrun, twice, nearly killing each other in the process. Lacus hated wars more than anything and she bit her lips, her eyes clouding.

Kira smiled gently and stepped forward, taking her into his arms and embracing her tightly as he buried his face into her sweet-smelling hair. "I'm glad, Lacus," Kira said truthfully, feeling her quiver slightly in his arms. "I'm glad, because I got to meet you… and everyone else… Before this, I always thought of war as something that never involved me and my friends. But now I see the reason why we should all keep fighting…" he said, pulling back to rest his eyes into her shining azure ones. "I want to be with you, always," he said sincerely.

"Kira…"

He rested his hand on her cheek, pressing his lips against hers.

"Please sing for me, Lacus… The song of peace."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Lagrange Area 3 (Present Day)<strong>

As a person, Yzak Joule never regarded himself as a lucky man, nor did he ever see himself as a fortunate one. He knew many who would trade places with him for what could be seen artificially; immediate elite ZAFT pilot, one of the youngest Commanders to obtain his own squadron, youngest to hold the position as a General and earn the purple ZAFT uniform as well as being an advisor for Lacus Clyne… But Yzak had never been particularly pleased with those accomplishments. He was an elite pilot, but always second-best to Athrun Zala. He was one of the youngest Commanders to lead a full squadron, but that squadron had been wiped out in a blink of an eye in front of him. He was a General wearing ZAFT's purple uniform, but his Chairman had been forced from her position and he had rescued her from it, which then led him to become a traitor to ZAFT…

No, Yzak did not believe that he was a particularly lucky man. The purple uniform signalled that he had seen enough deaths, had killed enough people, and had witnessed enough monstrosities that gave him the label of being 'experienced', 'able' and 'qualified' to lead the military. It was, to him, a rather revolting perception.

Still, things could have been worse. And he supposed he _was_ lucky in a way that, while remaining in hiding in Heliopolis, he was able to do so with the second-class Nazca-class battleship, _Aurora_, and not any other normal ship. Firstly, the _Aurora_ was ZAFT's ship. Secondly, it belonged to Kira Yamato, who had been one of the top Commanders in ZAFT and PLANTs, therefore enabling the ship access to a lot of confidential information. Thirdly, one of the _Aurora_'s crew members was a young soldier with pale red hair named Meyrin Hawke.

Yzak had learned about Meyrin's hacking skills when he had read the report on how she had infiltrated ZAFT's system in Gibraltar which led to Athrun's escape during the second war, but he (and many other ZAFT officers) had never really seen hacking as a notable skill for a ZAFT soldier. Now, Yzak was grateful that the young girl had such a troublesome talent. Equipped with the efficient _Aurora_ as well as the high-tech computers of Morganroete, the young soldier was nearly unstoppable, her fingers tapping the keyboard day and night, day and night, as she kept up with the movements of those in PLANTs. Yzak had begun to think that she might even be able to pinpoint one of Lacus's damn Haros with her capabilities.

Three weeks had passed since the attack on Orb, and those in Heliopolis had watched, struck and wide-eyed, as the devastation of the small nation was shown via Terminal. Yzak had easily identified Kira and Athrun's mobile suits during the battle, and he had watched as the defence lines were pushed back, as the shelters housing the civilians were struck, as the GFAS-X1 Destroy units had been deployed, reducing the once-rich nation into little more than just one island of rubble. What was left of Orb's once-strong, proud forces had then joined the Archangel in battle, and during the three weeks since the attack, they had fought once in the Oceania Union, and several times in the Equatorial Union.

The Oceania Union had always been a split union, with New Zealand siding with the Earth Alliance and Australia siding with PLANTs during the second war. ZAFT's Carpentaria base was located in the Oceania Union, which was once the main base of ZAFT after Gibraltar. However, since the end of the second war, Victoria had become the most influential base on Earth and had led the attack on Gibraltar before the attempted assassination on Lacus Clyne. Under Lacus's command, Carpentaria had sent its forces against Victoria in defending Gibraltar, and after Lacus was thrown from her position as Chairwoman of PLANTs, Victoria and Carpentaria were ordered to send their forces to the battle of Orb. Unsurprisingly, quite a large number of the forces from Carpentaria had turned their backs against PLANTs and had battled alongside Lacus and the Archangel. Carpentaria was then attacked after the battle of Orb, and the Archangel had fought to defend it, but had lost the battle as they had done in Orb. Still, quite a number of ZAFT's forces from Carpentaria had joined the Archangel in their battle against RENEGADE.

The battles in the Equatorial Union had been more to suppress than to invade. The only reason why the Equatorial Union held a neutral ground was due to their forces that were deemed too weak for the Earth Alliance to exploit. Several small bases had put up resistance fights against RENEGADE, and small-scale battles had taken place there, which the Archangel had participated in. After the battle of Orb, the United States of South America had joined RENEGADE and became an ally to the Earth Alliance once again, leaving the Equatorial Union the only neutral ground left unattacked. Yzak couldn't blame the United States of South America completely, of course, because the EA had a large military base there in Panama... but he believed that what they did was an act of cowardice, and he did not support their actions one bit. To Yzak, it was better to go down fighting than to suddenly turn around and befriend enemies just to stay alive.

It seemed that on Earth, the only opposing forces left were the resistance groups based in the Eurasian Federation that had always been an enemy-of-sorts to the Atlantic Federation, despite both belonging to the Earth Alliance. If RENEGADE succeeded, then all in Earth would be one big Earth Alliance, and Yzak had no doubt that the weaker Eurasian Federation would be suppressed by the Atlantic Federation. That was probably the main reason why they were putting up resistance fights. Only the Atlantic Federation would truly thrive in richness if the Earth was given to the Earth Alliance completely.

Of course, it wasn't as if there weren't any tensions in space as well. The moon, which had always been the base for the Earth Alliance, was also putting up resistance fights. It was common sense that the Coordinators would demand the space as their territory and force the Naturals on Earth if RENEGADE was to truly succeed in separating the Naturals and Coordinators. If that happened, the Earth Alliance forces on the moon would be at the biggest disadvantage, so it wasn't surprising that they were against RENEGADE's ideals.

It all seemed very simple, and Yzak couldn't help but ask the one question he knew many were asking: Why, oh why, were those who were supporting RENEGADE couldn't see that the plan would never work?

The young General ran his hand through his hair angrily, clearing the thoughts from his mind. He had never liked the game of politics, as much as he was able to understand them. He just couldn't understand why some people were so silly with their ideals and decisions.

"General Joule..?" A small, almost timid voice broke through Yzak's thoughts and his head shot up in surprise. He blinked several times, his blue eyes scanning the room and finally resting on the one who had addressed him; Meyrin Hawke. They were in the _Aurora_'s bridge, and Yzak had been examining the electronic map of the Earth in front of him, tapping into it and making small notes of the progress of the battles when his thoughts had overwhelmed him, blinding him to those around him. Now, snapped out from his reverie, Yzak nearly lost his bearings on where he was and what he had been doing. His eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch, signalling for Meyrin to continue. "It's Ambassador Joule. She's scheduled to return to Martius City tomorrow," she informed.

"Are you sure?" Yzak asked, instantly moving to Meyrin's side. His eyes focused on the screen where, almost unbelievably, he could see quite clearly that his mother had an appointment there for an aerospace engineering development conference and meeting regarding ZAFT's newest weapons. His lips pressed together into a thin line and he straightened, crossing his arms.

He had been waiting for this all this time, of course, nearly working Meyrin to her death with detailed reports on the happenings of ZAFT and PLANTs, especially one that involved his mother. With battles taking place in Carpentaria and the Equatorial Union so near to the Victoria base, his mother had been busy in Aprillius most of the time. Now, with battles most likely being concentrated in the Eurasian Federation which the Atlantic Federation would be giddying over, it came as no surprise that Ezalia could finally pull herself away from Aprillius for a while. It was the opportunity to return to PLANTs that Yzak had waited for, and he knew it was time for him to leave. These long weeks of gaining intelligence and sitting in Heliopolis was beginning to drive him insane.

"Good job. Keep updated with the situation in PLANTs. I want to know if they're going to launch an attack on the Moon or Heliopolis," Yzak commanded, turning and exiting the _Aurora_'s bridge. As soon as the door slid shut behind him, Yzak took out his communication device, tapping into it swiftly as he ordered Dearka and Shiho to meet him in the pilot briefing room.

Yzak was only half-surprised when the door slid open to reveal his ace pilot, Shiho Hahnenfuss, already waiting for him in the briefing room. Her long chestnut hair was neatly combed and swept back, and she gazed at him with sharp eyes as she saluted him. Yzak nodded, crossing the room and resting his back against the wall with his arms crossed as he waited for Dearka. It did not take long. Within five minutes, the door slid open and the blonde-haired Coordinator stepped in, his violet eyes turning to Yzak swiftly with an arched eyebrow.

"So, what's going on?" Dearka asked, stepping inside and allowing the door to shut behind him.

"I'm going back to PLANTs," Yzak said easily.

Dearka's eyes widened. "_What?_" he sputtered, shaking his head when Yzak did not respond. "How are you going to get back?"

"I'm using the ZAKU that we stole from Aprillius Four," the silver-haired General answered coolly. "That will get me to Martius without much suspicion. But I'll need to rely on Lacus's followers to get inside," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he voiced his plan. In truth, Yzak hadn't planned his entry as well as he wanted to. The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous the idea seemed, so he had decided not to ponder about it and just follow the flow and hope for the best. It wasn't his best plan as a military strategist, but it was the only possible way he could think of. Sure, he could hijack a passing aircraft and sneak into PLANTs that way, but it would be a gamble. Unfortunately, Yzak was one of ZAFT's Generals, and being the youngest and Lacus's personal advisor, he wasn't exactly unpopular with the soldiers. He would have to make a bold entrance and hope for the best.

The black-uniformed Captain sighed deeply, his palm moving to rest against his forehead as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Honestly, Yzak…"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 PLANTs, Martius Military Station One (Present Day)<strong>

_"Preparing mobile suits for launch. ZAKU, all systems online. Starting launch sequence."_

Yzak's fingers moved easily through the switches as he adjusted the olive green ZGMF-1001 ZAKU Phantom's controls, already strapped in the cockpit of the mobile suit and clad in his red and white pilot suit. He set the course to the military station of Martius, knowing full well that by the time he arrived, his mother would be there except if she decided to have a change in her schedule, which he doubted. _"Don't die, Yzak..."_ Athrun's voice echoed in his mind and Yzak cursed, his fingers tightening around the ZAKU's controls. Damn that stupid, pathetic, annoying Athrun Zala, for getting into his head at such a time.

The small screen to his right flickered to life and he could see Dearka leaning in front of Meyrin, his eyes unreadable but the smile playful on his lips. _"Oy, get back here soon, Yzak,"_ Dearka said, giving him a small thumb's up. _"You better not die!"_

Yzak snorted. "Shut up, Dearka. You better make sure this place stays in one piece for when I get back," he said angrily, glaring at the blonde-haired Coordinator.

Dearka arched an eyebrow and snickered. _"Roger!"_ he answered, giving Yzak a hearty salute that was too enthusiastic for Yzak to appreciate. The screen flickered off and Yzak fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Yzak Joule. ZAKU. Launching!"

He boosted his thrusters, the old mobile suit moving very slowly if compared to his Hyper Duel… but it couldn't be helped. The main thing was for him to arrive in Martius and demand to know what was going on, even if it had to be done in a stinking old ZAKU. Yzak launched from the _Aurora_ and out of Heliopolis, the course already set for him to arrive in Martius. As he travelled, he couldn't help but think that this was probably one of the stupidest things he had ever done. Then again, ever since he had come face-to-face with the GAT-X103 Buster on opposite sides of the battlefield during the first war, it seemed as if he had _always_ done stupid things that would be shameful to be written as a personal biography. Martius, apart from being the colony of PLANTs and ZAFT's national defence headquarters, was also the colony that specialises in aerospace engineering and shipbuilding. It was a colony full of prototype weapons and latest developed mobile suits, and he was flying straight into it.

He was walking straight into a ravenous lion's den with pieces of bloodied meat plastered on his body screaming bloody murder. If the situation hadn't been so grave, Yzak would have probably laughed at himself.

He had to try, though. Ezalia Joule was his one and only parent, and Yzak had never known anything about his father, nor did he ever have the curiosity of _wanting_ to know. Ezalia never said anything, and Yzak never asked. He had shared Ezalia's features as a copy and paste male version of the older Coordinator, and Ezalia had been both his mother and father since he could remember. He wondered if that would make a difference to how he would be treated, compared to what Athrun had faced during the first war. Yzak knew that Athrun had previously lived in Copernicus with his mother and that his late father, Chairman Zala, had never lived with them. Yzak wondered if that had created a gap between the two Zalas that led Patrick Zala to have the strength to shoot his own son, but he didn't know, of course.

It wasn't as if Yzak was a family man, much less a person who could understand the feelings of others. He had very little understanding on the unscientific human emotions, and he always acted on extremes on any emotion he felt. He could not imagine himself with a family in the future (or ever, for that matter), and had always viewed himself as a soldier through and through. Strange emotions did not appeal to him, and he preferred to stay away from them.

As the PLANT colonies began to loom in front of him, Yzak narrowed his eyes and increased the speed of his ZAKU, drawing his mobile suit closer. "Martius Station One, this is General Yzak Joule piloting ZGMF-1001 ZAKU Phantom: Unit Number X1990. ID Number APP3199. Requesting for land," he said, his voice firm and emotionless.

_"This is Martius Station One, you have permission to land. Please enter hatch number A132. ...Welcome back, General Joule."_

Yzak arched an eyebrow, interest and surprise now making him curious. He docked the ZAKU easily and climbed out, taking off his helmet and was instantly greeted by a green-uniformed ZAFT soldier that he had never met. "Sir!" the soldier saluted, and Yzak returned the gesture. With his carefully trained eye, Yzak took note of the amazingly crisp green uniform, the neatly-combed brown hair, without a single strand out of place, and most importantly, the innocent blue eyes that was unlike his ice-cold ones. _A rookie…_ Yzak noted, nearly snorting at his luck. A rookie performing the necessary procedures of allowing a friend mobile suit to land, piloted by a ZAFT General many ranks too high. He was possibly too new to even know Yzak's status as possible-MIA-soldier-or-traitor-to-ZAFT.

The lie came smoothly. "I am here for the 2PM conference in Room A201. Please inform Representative Ezalia Joule regarding my arrival," Yzak said easily.

"Sir!"

Yzak watched as the green-uniformed soldier turned to head back to the control room, his blue eyes missing nothing. It was too easy. Almost uncomfortably so. But he shook his head and headed to the changing room by the side, taking off the pilot suit and dressing in his purple ZAFT uniform. He paused in front of the full-length mirror, gazing deeply into the reflection of his eyes, exhaling slowly. When he had first joined the ZAFT academy, he had often dreamed of putting on this uniform, but now that he was finally in it, it felt like nothing but pure responsibility weighing down on his shoulders. Shaking his head, Yzak exited the changing room and came face-to-face with the nameless soldier again.

"Sir! Representative Joule is waiting for you. I will escort you to her," he said, too helpful, of course, but then again, all rookies were. Yzak nodded, cool as ever as he followed the rookie down the hallway and to their left to what he knew was where the more private rooms of the station were located. The soldier stopped in front of a door to one of the rooms and saluted, his blue eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. Yzak nearly felt sorry for the rookie. This was perhaps the most exciting thing that had happened to the green-uniformed soldier, and it was clear that the nameless idiot was trying to make a good impression of himself. But Yzak had no time for this. He didn't even have the authority to give the rookie a recommendation.

Yzak gave him his thanks, nearly scowling when his eyes shone with delight, and turned to the door, pressing the button of the intercom. "Yzak Joule. I'm coming in," he announced, stepping in when the door slid open.

He had been in one of these rooms before, of course. It was simply furnished, with a round table and six seats, a large screen to their side and nothing more. There was only one person in the room, and Yzak immediately recognised his mother, taking note of the tired circles under her eyes and her slightly messy hair. "Yzak?" Ezalia stepped forward, her piercing blue eyes running through him. Her expression was guarded.

"Mother," Yzak greeted.

Ezalia moved forward, a display of emotions in her eyes as she immediately pulled the young General into an embrace. "Yzak! I… Thank goodness! I thought you were…" she broke off, speaking and breaking off again as she tried to find the right words to say to her son. When she pulled away, silent tears were running down her cheeks and she shook her head. "Your squadron. The _Voltaire…_" she managed, the four words providing all the explanation Yzak needed.

"The _Voltaire_ was lost. So was the squadron," he confirmed quietly.

"But you survived! Yzak… Thank goodness. But where have you been all this time?" Ezalia asked, her hands still on Yzak's shoulders.

Yzak shook his head slowly. _He_ wasn't here to answer _her_ questions. "I'm sorry for making you worry, Mother. But… what are you doing?" he asked, his blue eyes searching hers. "Why are you back in the Council? Why did you attack Lacus? What is ZAFT _doing_?"

His mother sighed deeply and released him, walking over to the nearest chair and pulling it out. She sat on it, her eyes turned away from him. "I was afraid you'd ask those questions, Yzak. I had been waiting for you to return..." _That would explain the too-easy entry..._

"I can't fight for what you're fighting for," Yzak said coldly.

Ezalia looked up, now clearly ruffled. "Lacus-sama allowed us to be attacked. Belittled. Exploited. Didn't you see what they did to Scandinavia and Gibraltar? To Orb? To the Equatorial Union?" Yzak did not fail to notice how she did not mention the traitor Carpentaria base. "How many more Coordinators will you let them kill before you finally understand, Yzak?" Ezalia asked, her eyes burning with anger. "Peace can only be achieved if both sides wishes for it!"

"Peace will not come when both sides hate each other!" Yzak spat, angered. "Mother, you know this plan doesn't work. Coordinators and Naturals cannot be separated. Even kept apart, they'll still fight each other! All that'll happen is another round of wars like what happened last time!" he lashed out furiously.

"I know _that_!" Ezalia snapped. Yzak stepped back, surprised. "We all know that. The Naturals won't stop until each and every one of us are wiped from this universe, Yzak. That is _why_ we need to fight. You saw those Destroy units attacking Orb. The Earth Alliance were still developing those monsters all this time, and what would they have used it for if not to attack the Coordinators?" she asked, her blue eyes burning. "What we've learned since the beginning of all this is that the Earth Alliance had always been ready to attack us. And it's time for us to take action. We cannot leave our Coordinators to die!"

"By trying to separate them?" Yzak shouted angrily.

"No! By weakening their forces and wiping them out when they're done fighting!" Ezalia shouted back, rising to stand. Yzak stopped, his eyes widening as the shock settled in. "That's right, Yzak. Even you should know by now that even the Earth Alliance isn't planning for separation. Why do you think those resistance groups are forming on the moon, if not to become a bait for ZAFT to attack with their forces and weaken our military with more casualties?"

Yzak clenched his fists tight, turning his gaze back to the ground. He inhaled slowly, trying to contain his emotions. "I will not join you," he said flatly.

Silence passed between them, and Yzak closed his eyes, his nails digging deep into his palms. What his mother said made sense. Worse still, it only confirmed his suspicions. RENEGADE was just a lie, an excuse for two extremes to attack the neutral groups so nobody else would oppose them when they would finally come to kill each other, once and for all. With Orb down, Scandinavia devastated, the anti-extremist military bases wiped out, and resistance groups suppressed, who would stand in the way of the ultimate Coordinator and Natural battle?

"I cannot attack you, Yzak…" Ezalia said quietly as she walked towards him, resting her hand on his shoulder. He raised his eyes to meet hers and he could see deep sorrow in the blue orbs, so identical to his. "You are my son, and I love you. And I cannot hurt you. But PLANTs cannot run away from this, Yzak," she said, sighing deeply as she rested her palm against his cheek. "Go," she said, turning away.

"Mother…"

"Go, Yzak."

Yzak clenched his teeth and turned, walking to the door. As it slid open, he bowed his head, fighting the urge to turn back to look at her. "I'll create the peaceful world, Mother. Wait for me," he said, exiting the room without a glance towards her.

He went.

Not even bothering to change into his pilot suit, Yzak went back to his ZAKU unit and strapped himself in, his fingers finding the right switches as he activated his mobile suit, immediately starting the launch sequence.

"_ZGMF-1001 ZAKU Phantom: Unit Number X1990. Please stop. You do not have permission to launch!"_

Yzak laughed coldly, shaking his head to clear away his thoughts. Well, at least the rookie wouldn't be reprimanded for allowing a trespasser to dock into the military station. He could take comfort in that. Ignoring the warning, Yzak boosted his thrusters and took out his beam assault rifle, at the same time launching two high-explosive grenades towards the control room. Alarms rose around the station and Yzak quickly exited the shaft, shooting immediately as a number of ZAKUs and GOUF Igniteds began to close in. With his right hand equipped with his Tomahawk beam saber, Yzak lashed out furiously, barely aware of the tears threatening to escape his eyelids as he quickly tried to put his distance away from the mobile suits, from Martius, from his mother.

A red-hot rod lashed in his direction and Yzak dodged, his mobile suit moving down swiftly and he shot with his rifle, thrown back as it exploded between them. "Kuso!" Yzak cursed, shooting down the GOUF's thrusters and boosting his own. Another sped in his direction and Yzak threw his beam saber like a boomerang, launching another grenade at it as it occupied itself in deflecting the attack.

Two ZAKU mobile suits flanked him and Yzak cursed, taking aim with his beam rifle and beginning to shoot. The one on his right dodged, but a boomerang suddenly sliced its middle cleanly in half, causing a huge explosion that threw Yzak to the side. He nearly collided with the other ZAKU but Yzak turned sharply with the thrust, the back of his heel slamming into the mobile suit's cockpit, sending it down. The pilot screamed in surprise, and as another came to his aid, a high-energy beam cannon fired and both exploded, the impact throwing Yzak back once again. Yzak wanted to curse in the most colourful language he knew as he gazed up towards the two Enigma units, the signature beam cannon and boomerang identifying them as Dearka and Shiho's units.

"KUSO! What are you _doing_ here?" Yzak shouted angrily at them, boosting his thrusters as he moved away from PLANTs.

"_We can't let you have all the fun, Yzak,"_ Dearka answered, grinning widely at the annoyed General. "_Meyrin got in contact with the Eternal. They've launched,"_ he informed. Yzak's eyes widened with surprise, and it was only then that he spotted the pale red ship moving away from the colony along with them. He clenched his teeth, his fingers gripping his controls. _"Let's go, Yzak. We can escape if we get on the Eternal."_

Yzak glanced back, spotting the new mobile suits that had joined in the battle. He recognised the units as those from Factory that had come to rescue Lacus when she had been attacked a few weeks ago, and he turned, watching as they attacked the pursuing ZAFT mobile suits. _So… the Clyne faction is joining us now…_ Without a mother ship launching to continue their pursuit, however, it was futile. Even if ZAFT give chase, it was unlikely that they would catch up to the extremely fast Eternal. The ZAKUs and GOUFs soon retreated, and a small part of him wondered if his mother had a play in allowing his escape. The grenades he had launched at the control room would have caused enough confusion and communication damage to give him a head start, of course, but somehow, he knew that someone had helped him escape. He lowered his eyes, turning and boosting his thrusters to head to the Eternal.

_"Oy… Yzak… Are you alright?"_ Dearka asked from his Enigma.

Yzak said nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Indian Ocean, Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

The ZGMF-X30A Ultimate Freedom docked into Archangel's hangar and Kira slumped back, closing his eyes as he exhaled deeply. Another lost battle, more casualties, more deaths, more killing… He had just come from one of the two ZAFT Vosgulov-class submarines that had joined them from the battle of Orb, taking note of their damages and lost soldiers. He opened his eyes slowly, his violet eyes focusing on the ceiling of the cockpit of his mobile suit. Kira glanced to his right, spotting the Infinite Justice that was right beside him, telling him that Athrun had returned from Orb's fleet above them.

Since the end of the battle of Orb, two ZAFT squadrons consisting of two Vosgulov-class submarines carrying numerous GOUF Ignited, CGUE, ASH and GOOhN units had joined them. Along with them, a small fleet of Orb soldiers had also joined the Archangel, consisting of Cagalli's flagship, the Harutsuki, as well as five Aegis-class battleships carrying Astrays, Murasames and Yamakaze units. In the battles they had faced following the battle of Orb, Kira had led the ZAFT units while Athrun had taken over the Orb units. He had watched as his comrades were killed, one by one, all to protect those who still wishes for peace between Naturals and Coordinators. Most of the resistance groups they helped were Naturals, and Kira felt the irony of the unification they had in fighting what was supposed to be their own comrades.

Numerous battles had commenced since Orb's battle, and Kira could feel the tiredness weighing him down. Their defeats were beginning to become repetetive, but Kira knew they wouldn't stop fighting. It was impossible to just stay and watch while RENEGADE tries to wipe out any resistance. Kira was beginning to understand the pattern of _Renegade_'s attacks, leading the ZAFT and Earth Alliance soldiers into battle, then leaving when it was clear which side had won. What bothered Kira was the pilot of the Advocate, who had told him in the battle of Orb about the Advocate and Zantetsuken being two mobile suits specially designed to bring him down. But after Orb's battle, the two that had always engaged him in battle were the Adcovate and the Apocalypse. The Zantetsuken and Imperial, on the other hand, had always attacked Athrun, leaving the Premium and the many ZAFT and Earth Alliance mobile suits to Shinn. Despite their small forces, Shinn, Lunamaria, Mu and Waltfeld had worked hard in battle, and the casualties were not as damaging as they perhaps should have been.

A small, uneasy feeling began to settle in his chest. It came always, whenever he thought of the Apocalypse and the Imperial. Kira sensed something different about the two mobile suits, and he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Could he possibly know the pilots? It seemed hardly likely. But he had once experienced the same feeling, back during the second war when Mu had thought himself as Neo Roanoke, and Kira had engaged him in battle and sensed something amiss. The other three mobile suit pilots, he guessed, were Extendeds, and he had talked to Athrun about it and received the same opinion. But there was no way for him to be sure.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Kira deactivated his Gundam and opened the cockpit, grasping the lever to transport him to the ground. As soon as his foot touched the surface, he took off his helmet and shook his head again, his long brown hair falling in front of his face.

"Kira," Athrun's voice greeted him and Kira turned, facing the Orb Admiral. "Are you alright?" he asked, walking over to the brown-haired Coordinator.

Kira forced a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Athrun. Thanks," he said, smiling warmly at his friend. "Where's Cagalli?"

"The bridge, with Lacus. We just received news from Terminal. The Eternal has launched, and they're on their way to Heliopolis," Athrun said. The other Coordinator nodded slowly, and Athrun realised that Kira was dead on his feet. His brows pulled together. Of course Kira was tired. Since Orb's battles, they both had split their duties from battling, to joining the rescue forces, to maintaining their mobile suits, to handling the Orb and ZAFT forces on their side as well as helping the Archangel... Though Kira had returned strangely late tonight, Athrun realised. "Oy, are you alright? You shouldn't push yourself too hard, Kira," he scolded lightly, turning to lead his old friend towards the Archangel's changing rooms.

Kira laughed lightly and shook his head. Three weeks had passed since the battle in Orb, and although they had engaged in numerous battles afterwards, Kira's wounds had healed fully and he knew that it was just the exhaustion that was showing on his face. Athrun, Kira knew, worried too much about everything. He allowed the blue-haired Coordinator to steer him to the changing room and he took off his blue pilot suit, dressing himself in his white ZAFT uniform again. As he buttoned the uniform, Athrun spoke, gaining Kira's attention again; "Yzak had been there when the Eternal launched. He was in PLANTs. His mother… His mother joined the Council under Yuri Amalfi after they tried to assassinate Lacus. Ezalia Joule. She used to be ZAFT's National Defence Committee Member during the last war," Athrun said absently, his side resting against the locker as he watched Kira.

Kira paused, understanding coming over him instantly. "Is he alright?"

Athrun shrugged, and nodded slowly. "Ah…" he said slowly, though Kira could see the pain in Athrun's eyes as he was reminded of his late father. Briefly, Athrun explained what had happened between Yzak and Ezalia and as Kira listened, his eyes grew darker, his fists slowly clenching together as all their suspicions were confirmed.

"I see… So we've been right all along. RENEGADE was never there to separate the Naturals and Coordinators. They're just there to get rid of the neutral countries…" Kira trailed off, clenching his jaws.

The other pilot nodded slowly. "It's really come down to this…"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Destiny Gaia, Ultimate Freedom &amp; Infinite Justice (Present Day)<strong>

**GENERATION UNRESTRICTED NETWORK DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

**G.U.N.D.A.M ZAFT**

"_We're fighting alongside ZAFT this time. The Atlantic Federation sent their forces to ZAFT's Mahamul Base, and there are Eurasian resistance fighters there as well. Don't get your enemies mixed up,"_ Miriallia said, her turquoise eyes sparkling with slight amusement. _"They haven't received back-up forces from ZAFT to help with the attack yet,"_ she informed.

"I get it," Shinn answered, his fingers flicking through the switches as his red eyes scanned the screen in front of him. He wasn't surprised that ZAFT hadn't sent in any forces to help the Earth Alliance in destroying its own base in Mahamul. They would only end up with casualties in defeating those that opposed them and wouldn't benefit with such an attack.

"_Ehhh..? We're supposed to assist those that turned their backs against the Earth Alliance by fighting the same type of mobile suits?"_ Lunamaria asked, her face twisted and her brows furrowed as she tried to imagine such a confusing battle.

"_It couldn't be helped,_" Miriallia answered sympathetically.

Shinn snorted and shook his head. "It's alright, Luna. Just keep your eyes open. You'll be able to recognise them easily," he reassured her.

Lunamaria relaxed, smiling slightly. "_Thanks, Shinn._"

"_Preparing mobile suits for launch. Connecting APU. Catapult, connected. Freedom, standby. Systems, all green. Freedom, please launch!"_

"_Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"_

"_Justice, please launch!"_

"_Athrun Zala. Justice. Launching!_"

"_Destiny, please launch!_"

"Shinn Asuka. Destiny. Launching!"

Shinn activated the phase shift armour of his black and gold mobile suit and boosted his thrusters, launching from Archangel's hatch and bursting into the open air as soon as the red and white ship surfaced from the ocean. His radar could detect the battle from afar already and the Destiny transformed into its fighter-plane mobile armour form, immediately racing towards the tell-tale orange and red explosions in the sky. He vaguely registered Kira and Athrun's voices from the Freedom and Justice as they commanded the ZAFT and Orb fighters, launching straight into battle. With the Mahamul base located well within the mainland, the Vosgulov-class ZAFT submarines and the Orb carrier and battleships would be useless. Only the Archangel and the mobile suits would be leading the battle this time, and Shinn could already sense the danger. Being so close to Victoria, he could only hope that PLANTs would not send back-up forces for the Earth Alliance.

His blood-red eyes scanned the area as soon as he entered the battlefield, and his Destiny's radar detected the heat signals easily, identifying the different mobile suits engaged in battle. From the ZAFT Mahamul base, the one they would be protecting, a number of ZAKUs, GINNs, CGUEs, BABIs, BuCUEs and LaGOWEs were engaged in battle with Earth Alliance Windam, Dagger Moebius, Exus and Euclid units that came both from the Earth Alliance and the Eurasian resistance groups. Distinguishing which of the EA units were friend or foe was rather terrifying, and Shinn hoped that Luna would be alright. Shinn spotted EA Hannibal-class land battleships and ZAFT's Compton-class land battleships joining the battlefield, and gritted his teeth in frustration.

Equipped with his beam assault cannon, Shinn fired as soon as he came within firing range, the high-powered beam immediately cutting through the Earth Alliance mobile suits and the resistance fighters, allowing Kira and Athrun's units to place themselves in the middle, assisting with the battle. Missiles were deployed and the Ultimate Freedom fired, multiple beams shooting out from its armaments and creating a wonderful display of red and orange in the sky as they exploded. As the Archangel neared, Shinn could hear Lacus beginning to address the Earth Alliance attackers, but it was clear that her influence weren't as great on Naturals as they were to Coordinators.

"_You..!_" A familiar cry reached Shinn's ears and he instinctively dodged as the all-too-familiar Premium lashed down with its sword. Shinn could immediately spot the _Renegade_ ship, as well as the four Gundams that began to join the attack. He glared at the blue and white mobile suit, taking note of her white flyer, and his hands gripped his controls tight.

_This pilot…_ Shinn cursed aloud, the Destiny Gaia transforming into its mobile suit form and he immediately equipped both his beam sabers. Shinn laughed darkly. "You really don't know when to give up, do you? I'll take you down today. DON'T MESS WITH ME!" Shinn shouted, boosting his thrusters and lashing out, their swords clashing dangerously. He was really annoyed with this mobile suit, that had seemed to engage him with nearly every battle, and it was time to kill the annoying little mosquito.

.

"Kuso!" Kira cursed, his Freedom moving back as he avoided the Advocate's DRAGOONs, shooting them with his beam rifle. He clenched his teeth: the DRAGOONs were equipped with shield generators similar to the ones equipped on the DRAGOONs of the Destroy Gundam.

"_Kira!_" Athrun struck a DRAGOON unit, with his beam saber and locked his cannons onto the Advocate, firing and forcing it back.

"_Don't interfere!_" Genei shouted, deploying his missiles from his flyer at the same time as the Imperial.

The Freedom moved forwards, shielding the Justice from view and it locked onto the missiles, all armaments firing instantly. The missiles exploded between them, the smoke now thick clouds in the sky. Genei cried out in surprise as the crimson Justice blasted from the smoke in front of him, lashing out with his beam sabers, catching both his beam rifles which exploded between them.

Quickly, the Advocate deployed its DRAGOONs and the Zantetsuken fired its Hyper Impulse Cannon, forcing the Justice back. Athrun clenched his teeth as he moved just in time, the carry shield mounted on his left arm taking the impact of the cannon and exploding. He cried out slightly as his Justice was thrown back from the impact, but he maneouvered the mobile suit expertly, the cannons mounted on his shoulder locking onto the Zantetsuken and firing instantly.

A blue, white and gold mobile suit moved past the Justice in a blur as Kira activated the antimatter propulsion system, moving in front of Athrun to protect him, lashing out with his Strike sword, the blade clashing against the Apocalypse's sword as the dark red mobile suit activated its Voiture Lumiere propulsion system. It was a four-on-two battle, and Athrun clenched his teeth together as he moved his mobile suit, careful to be aware of his bearings with the four lethal fighters.

The Imperial fired its missiles again and Kira avoided, allowing Athrun to shoot them skilfully with his machine gun, the six mobile suits engulfed with red and orange explosions again. An alarm sounded from his right and Athrun turned, taking out his beam saber just in time to block the attack from the Advocate as their swords clashed. The blue-haired Coordinator gritted his teeth, lashing out with his beam saber, then moving back as the Advocate deployed his missiles. Athrun boosted his thrusters, taking two sharp turns to drive them off, and multiple shots were fired from the Freedom, the missiles exploding yet again. A loud alarm sounded from above and Athrun thrust himself back, nearly an inch too late, as a high-energy beam cannon shot was fired from above by the teal and orange Zantetsuken. _Kuso… These guys…_

.

The Premium moved back, switching its right sword for a boomerang blade, but Shinn had been ready. As soon as the mobile suit attempted the switch, Shinn lashed out with his beam saber, catching her directly and the boomerang exploded between them, sending her back. The pilot cried out in surprise as the mobile suit was thrown off-control and Shinn flipped, slamming his heel against her cockpit and sending the mobile suit to the ground, sending loud, powerful shockwave vibrations through the earth.

"_Liesel!_" An enemy pilot cried out, but Shinn ignored it. Disengaging his shield from his left arm, Shinn boosted his thrusters, crying out angrily as he brought down his beam saber, but the Premium was quicker, propelling itself away just in time to avoid the beam saber as it slammed onto the ground, sending dirt and dust shooting up from the attack. Shinn turned, the image of a crimson-coloured jewel exploding at the back of his mind and he threw his shield which struck her chest, sending her back. He could feel the power running through his nerves, his fingers tingling with the new sense of awareness and heightened reflexes. He _will_ defeat her!

Shinn threw his boomerang, firing with his rifle as soon as the boomerang hit the cockpit, the two exploding in a bright red blast. She cried out again, her voice reaching him in his cockpit. As she was thrown back, Shinn used the opportunity to slam the heel of his Gundam against her again, sending her crashing down onto the earth. The cockpit was forced open from the multiple attacks and Shinn took out his rifle, ready to aim at the pilot, only to find himself frozen to the spot with his finger hovering above the trigger, his eyes wide and unblinking as he stared at the open cockpit.

He knew the pilot was a woman, of course. He had heard her voice many times. And he knew she wasn't a Natural. But this…

Shinn gasped for breath, trying to teach himself how to breathe again as his eyes widened at the sight before him. Her helmet had been forced off amidst the deliberate attacks he had done to her cockpit, revealing the one face he had never wanted to see in a mobile suit cockpit.

Stellar.

Shinn shook his head, his mobile suit halting and his hand shaking as he pointed the beam rifle at her. No… Impossible. _Impossible!_ Stellar had died in Berlin, in his arms, her last words telling him that she loved him and he had put her to rest in the depths of the gentle water that she had always loved to gaze at. But he could recognise that face anywhere, and the golden-yellow hair surrounding her gentle face was unmistakeable. Shinn trembled, terrified, as she coughed and opened her eyes, revealing the same shade of beautiful pink-ish violet eyes that he had always loved. She looked around, panicked at the state of the Gundam's cockpit, and worked with the controls, forcing the machine to rise again.

"_Shinn!_" Athrun's voice was the only warning he received as the crimson mobile suit slammed against his, a high-energy beam shot catching his Destiny's leg as it missed his torso, then exploding and sending them both back. "_What are you doing, Shinn?_" Athrun shouted angrily, immediately firing towards the Zantetsuken with his beam rifles.

Shinn's head snapped up in surprise, his gaze fixed firmly on the rising Premium. The orange and teal Zantetsuken moved towards it, grabbing it firmly by the arm and pulling it away as it aimed its cannon towards them again. His eyes widened in horror as the beam cannons mounted on the Justice's shoulders locked onto the Zantetsuken and Premium, ready to fire.

"NO! STOP! STELLAR!" Shinn cried out, slamming his shoulder against the Justice, sending it away. Athrun cried out in surprise and the Zantetsuken fired, catching the crimson mobile suit's flyer pack which Athrun disengaged just in time before it exploded, sending him towards the ground. The flyer made an impact on the Zantetsuken and he heard the pilot crying out as the Hyper Impulse Cannon exploded along with the Justice's Fatum-01 sub-flighter backpack.

"_Athrun!_" Kira cried out, boosting his thrusters and moving towards the Justice, only to have the Apocalypse attack with its sword, the Voiture Lumiere propulsion system making him move like nothing but a blur. Kira activated his antimatter catalyst system and the Advocate fired its missiles and deployed its DRAGOONs, forcing the blue, white and gold mobile suit back. The Freedom turned sharply, turning and firing all its armaments at once, the missiles exploding between them in brilliant explosions as the two mobile suits forced the other Coordinator back.

The Zantetsuken boosted its thrusters, pulling the Premium along with it as it turned to head back towards the Renegade. Shinn's eyes widened and he boosted his thrusters, tears streaming down his face. "NO! STOP! STELLAR! _STELLAR_!"

Multiple alarms were issued in his cockpit, deafening and nearly overwhelming as Shinn chased after the two Gundams, his hand outstretched towards the blonde-haired pilot. "_SHINN!_" Athrun shouted. A mobile suit slammed against his back and an explosion sounded above him. Shinn turned sharply, his eyes widening as he took in the Justice whose legs had been blasted off by a round of missiles fired by the turquoise Imperial.

"_You're annoying!_" the Zantetsuken pilot shouted, releasing the Premium and, in one swift move, it grabbed the sword stored in the Premium's white flyer and thrust it down, penetrating the middle of the crimson mobile suit. Shinn watched, horrified, as the Infinite Justice exploded, sending him backwards, his back slamming hard against the hard ground.

_"ATHRUUNN..!"_

.

"Athrun! ATHRUN!" Cagalli screamed, terrified, her eyes wide as the crimson Justice moved and slammed itself against the Destiny, protecting it from the Imperial's missiles, only to have a sword thrust into the middle of the mobile suit by the furious Zantetsuken pilot. The Justice exploded, sending large pieces of debris and parts onto the ground below. Cagalli could barely hear her own voice as she screamed his name, again and again, frightened tears running down her face as her body shook.

She felt Lacus racing towards her, holding her upright and hushing her, unregistered soft words escaping her lips as she tried to calm the young princess, but Cagalli could not even register her own voice, let alone Lacus's. She felt her body resting against Lacus's, allowing herself to be embraced, as, still wide-eyed, she watched the battle.

"Murrue-san!" Sai turned and called out to the Captain, his eyes burning.

Murrue clenched her fists. She observed as the _Renegade_ turned, its hatch opening as it waited for the two mobile suits to retreat: the teal and orange Zantetsuken as well as the blue and white Premium. If she was going to take action, it would need to be now.

"Thirty-five degrees port. Descend by ten degrees. Valiants, take aim! Be careful not to hit Kira. FIRE!"

.

"_ATHRUN!_" Kira shouted, horrified beyond belief, his hands shaking as he clenched his controls, watching as the Infinite Justice exploded right in front of him. The shock of the explosion halted the Advocate and Apocalypse for a moment, but that was all Kira needed. Angered, furious, terrified, he boosted his thrusters and escaped them, positioning his Ultimate Freedom between Shinn's Destiny and the Imperial. Shinn still hadn't moved, rooted to the spot. "KUSOOOO..! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, _SHINN_?" Kira shouted angrily, the two cannons mounted on his shoulders locking onto the Imperial, and he fired. It moved back, and at the same time, the Advocate and the Apocalypse raced towards them and Kira gritted his teeth. He locked all the armaments of the Freedom to the three Gundams, firing instantly, and at the same time, he registered the high-energy beam attacks from the Archangel - the Valiants, aimed between him and the three.

Kira breathed heavily, trying to contain his emotions. The Zantetsuken and the Premium had returned, and he could take on these three Gundams, at least to buy time until their power supply ran out. But he couldn't do it with Shinn's Destiny in the way. For some unknown reason, the black-haired Coordinator still couldn't bring his mobile suit to move.

"Kuso!" Kira cursed, boosting his thrusters and grasping the Destiny's arm firmly. "Lunamaria! Murrue-san! I'll leave him to you!" Kira shouted, and with one swift move, he swung the mobile suit towards the Archangel, registering Shinn's cry of surprise. At least the black-haired Coordinator was still conscious. "Keep him away if he can't fight!" Kira snapped.

"_Kira!_" A gold mobile suit, the Akatsuki, halted beside him, and Kira registered Mu's anxious voice from the cockpit of his mobile suit. "_Let's go, Kira!_" he commanded.

Kira nodded firmly, the image of a violet-coloured jewel exploding at the back of his mind. He equipped his Strike Sword, activating his antimatter propulsion system, and he boosted his thrusters, lashing out furiously while still carefully avoiding the Valiants of the Archangel as he battled.

.

"Commander Aiten!" Schellen Iyadomi, the _Renegade's _CIC called to the silver-haired masked man. "The Zantetsuken and the Premium has docked. Advocate, Apocalypse and Imperial will run out of power soon!"

"_Leave them! This is the chance to take down the Freedom!"_ Tierra, the Zantetsuken's pilot, called out angrily from his mobile suit, now safe in the _Renegade_'s hangar.

Carnell Toren, the _Renegade_'s enemy detection and electronic warfare identification crew member, turned and rested her eyes on Daisuke. "The Earth Alliance forces are losing the battle! There's no back-up from Victoria!" she reported, her eyes widening. For the first time, they were losing a battle to overpower the small ZAFT base.

Daisuke pursed his lips, his brows pulled together as he assessed the situation. "_Renegade_ will retreat," he decided finally.

"_WHAT?_" Captain Sethe Tienn lashed out with his hand, his blue eyes burning dangerously. "This is the chance to take the Freedom!"

"The position isn't beneficial to us," Daisuke snapped. "Remember that RENEGADE is a coalition of _both_ Coordinators and Naturals. ZAFT hasn't sent us any back-up forces, so this is no longer our fight. And the Earth Alliance is losing. When the Premium is repaired and our mobile suits are working in full power, we can bring down the Freedom. The Justice has been taken down, and that is enough. For now, let us retreat," he commanded.

"What makes you think that we can win next time, Commander _Aiten_?" Sethe asked coldly.

Daisuke turned his masked face towards the Captain. "Didn't you see? That Destiny pilot seemed unable in attacking Liesel."

Sethe clenched his fists. He believed that Daisuke was a coward, but as Carnell turned and reported again, he knew also that he shouldn't let his hatred win for now. The time would come. Besides, he would feel much better if Kira Yamato were to die in _his_ hands. "Signal flares! The _Renegadei _will retreat!" he commanded.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> Another interesting twist to the story, I fancy, but let it be reminded that the pairing for this fic is Shinn/Lunamaria. :D I somewhat read in Gundam Wiki that the writer for the still-undecided Gundam SEED movie wanted to have Stellar in post-GSD in some way, and this is my interpretation of what that might have meant. Anyway, I seem to have run out of reviewers after Kira's epic entry. :'( I hope you're all still reading! I'll finish this fic regardless, but it'd be nice to gain more feedback and know I have readers out there. Next update is predicted to happen some time around the 17th September.

My thanks goes to AngelicFox12 and Magus-15IchiGo who reviewed the previous chapter (and those before it!) as well as those who alert-ed, favourite-d and read the fic! The review link is below, right in the middle. Click and give me your two cents? Please? Tune in for the next update!

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><p><strong>AngelicFox12:<strong> I thank you for being such a loyal reviewer, AngelicFox. XD I think I'm beginning to somewhat get the hang of writing the battle scenes because this one is a little easier to write than the last one. I can't believe how long this fic has turned out. O.o Out of curiosity, as one who has read up until this point, did it ever occur to you that the last scene would have happened?

**Magus-15IchiGo:** Thanks for your review! :D They're always so encouraging, and I'm really glad you're still reading. Arigato gozaimas! I hope you liked this one as well. :D


	14. PHASE 13: Failure to Protect

**PHASE THIRTEEN: Failure to Protect  
><strong>

**C.E 79 Mahamul Base, Eurasian Federation (Present Day)**

Genei Alens was not a happy pilot. He absolutely _despised_ the Freedom, and to have his opportunity to bring it down taken away from him was not something that he appreciated. When the second generation Minerva-class ship fired its signal flares, everyone froze in shock of the situation – including the Freedom. It was probably in that short moment of shock that Genei's temper was finally broken, and he was the first to boost his thrusters, the scream working out from his chest as he cried out in pure anger and frustration. This was their _chance_! He had to take revenge for Liesel! Yet, the _Renegade_ was telling them to_ leave_! Well then, leave he would, but he was going to take revenge against the Freedom his own way. Pushing the speed of his dark green Advocate to the max, Genei turned sharply and immediately spotted the item he had wanted to find – the cockpit of what was once the proud and crimson ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice. It was exposed, as he thought it would be, and he could just see the pilot strapped inside and motionless from the screen of his Gundam, magnified to view the cockpit.

The Freedom saw what he was trying to do instantly and it reacted far more quickly than what Genei had thought. It was to be expected from a Coordinator. The silly idiot piloting the Destiny was still frozen, and the Akatsuki didn't move fast enough – not as fast as the Apocalypse and the Imperial.

"_Genei! What are you DOING?"_ Seorin shouted from his Apocalypse, but Genei paid him no mind.

"_STOP!" _The cry came from the Freedom, and Genei smirked, satisfied. He had predicted the Freedom correctly – with the Advocate being so close to the Justice's cockpit, the Freedom couldn't attack recklessly.

There was only one disadvantage that he had compared to the Freedom, and that was an enhanced propulsion system. Unlike the Apocalypse, Genei's Advocate did not have an enhanced propulsion system. As soon as he boosted his thrusters, Genei deployed all the remaining DRAGOONs attached to his Advocate and fired his missiles, his smirk growing even bigger when, as predicted, the Freedom took out his beam rifles and shot at them skillfully, unable to use the multi-lock weapons system due to his fear of damaging the Justice that was too close for comfort. He had timed it perfectly – with the distraction giving him a few precious seconds of advantage, he sped further and was both surprised and contented when the Apocalypse and Imperial backed him up against the Freedom and Akatsuki that began to chase after him. But it was too late.

"_ATHRUN! STOP! STOP..! ATHRUUN!"_

_Serves you right for constantly mocking me..._ Genei thought, his eyes flicking to the Freedom. The blue, white and gold mobile suit activated its special propulsion system, moving in a blur, but with two mobile suits blocking him, it was over. The Apocalypse activated its Voiture Lumiere propulsion system, taking out its sword and lashing down, forcing the Freedom to change course. Instantly, the Imperial deployed its missiles and as the Akatsuki shot them down, the Apocalypse transformed, the mobile armour latching itself onto the Freedom that was too occupied and angered to pay close attention to fighting its battles. The claws of the Apocalypse latched onto the Freedom's DRAGOON units and Genei heard the pilot cry out, firing with its CIWS and taking out its Armour Schneider, thrusting it into the claws - one exploded, sending both mobile suits back, further from the cockpit of the Justice.

_"Genei!"_

_"NO! STOP!"_

Genei had won.

He took no gentle measures against such a formidable enemy. In one swoop, the cockpit was in his arms and his bronze eyes blazed with cold fury as he carried it away to the _Renegade_.

His mind, working fast as ever, had managed to assess the information easily and quickly. The reaction time of the Freedom showed him that whoever the pilot of the Justice was, this Athrun Zala, he must be one that was close to Kira Yamato. The fact that the Freedom was not able to use its multi-lock weapons system further proved that. And judging by the slower reaction time of the Akatsuki, just a fraction slower than the Apocalypse and Imperial, Genei was certain that the pilot was a Natural.

They had attacked Liesel. Genei wasn't about to forgive them so easily.

.

The bridge was almost silenced with shock. If anyone could look past the half-mask covering Daisuke's face, they would see pure rage within the silver orbs as he watched the Advocate return to the _Renegade_ with the Justice's cockpit in his arms. As it was, the mask _had_ covered his face, and the crew merely assumed that the Commander had jumped up in shock, as they all were feeling, as they watched the Advocate turn, finally docking into the ship with the Apocalypse and Imperial covering it.

It took nearly all his self-control to prevent himself from clenching his fists tightly, but Daisuke knew that they had the upper hand now. With the Justice's cockpit with them, with the possibility of the pilot still alive, they were safe, even if they _had_ lost the battle. It was unlikely that the Archangel would pursue them.

"Alert the crew of the situation! If that pilot is alive, I want him _unharmed_."

.

It was over. Even as Kira fired after the retreating Apocalypse and Imperial, he knew it was over. He couldn't attack the Advocate recklessly, not when it was holding the Justice's cockpit in his arms so securely. He halted his Freedom as the Advocate turned, its yellow eyes seemingly mocking him for his inability to attack, mocking his inability to protect his friend, as with the cockpit of the Justice in his arms, he docked into the _Renegade_.

Struggling to breathe, Kira clenched the Freedom's controls tightly, the wave of emotions constricting his chest as he watched them leave. How could this have happened? How could he have allowed them to take Athrun away right in front of his eyes, right when he, too, had the ability to fight back? How could he forgive himself?

Angry tears went down his face as he glared at the retreating ship and Kira heaved a deep, ragged breath.

"ATHRUUUUUUNN…!"

.

Ken was shaken. There was no doubt about it. He hadn't seen it coming – he hadn't thought that Genei would pull off such an act as taking away the cockpit of the Infinite Justice, but even so, Ken had to admit that the Extended did some amazing quick thinking there. With their battle lost, the Archangel could have easily pursued and defeated them, but with the Justice in their custody, even the Freedom stopped giving chase. Athrun Zala must be one very important person for the Archangel – enough so that the fast ship did not give chase as they retreated from the battlefield. The act was one that was highly commendable, and Ken had to admit that he was impressed.

Still, he was worried, and he wondered if Genei had acted out of anger and not out of intellect.

He docked his Apocalypse after the Advocate and immediately opened his cockpit, grasping the lever to transport himself down, looking down at the scene below him. With the Justice's cockpit exposed, most likely by hot shrapnel from the explosion, it was easy enough for the crew members to pull the pilot out, who was now laid on the floor – and they were all staring at it as if it had grown another head. Even Tierra was gazing at the pilot with unblinking eyes. Horrified, Ken realised that the only one moving was Genei, who walked towards the pilot with a gun out, ready to fire.

The sight made his blood run cold.

"GENEI! _STOP IT!_" Ken shouted. Instantly, his white helmet had traveled from above, knocking the gun from Genei's hand, the bullet escaping with a loud bang and buried itself harmlessly in the wall of the hangar – amazingly a few inches from where Tierra stood. Ken jumped down and raced towards the pilot, taking note of the damaged pilot suit, the broken helmet, and his heart pounded against his chest. As gently as possible, he took off the helmet and the blue-haired Coordinator groaned loudly.

Athrun turned his head slightly, focusing his eyes and they gazed, almost confusedly, at the other Coordinator. "Kira..?"

Ken blinked. Perhaps it was his reddish brown hair, but the other Coordinator seemed to have mistaken him for that other pilot they had saved back in Mendel. But he couldn't help but feel weak with relief that the pilot was still alive. At least if the Archangel refused to believe that Athrun was alive, they would have proof. Ken would let this confused Coordinator to believe that he was Kira for now, at least to keep the shock at bay.

"Stay with me," he said, gently unzipping the red pilot suit, taking note of the worse of the wounds. There was blood everywhere, and Ken felt his heart beat fast against his chest, his brows pulling together. He mind worked quickly, like trying to solving a complex mathematical problem, as he took off his pilot suit, using it to cushion Athrun's head and shoulders, raising it slightly. He tore the light blue undershirt he wore under the pilot suit and balled it, pressing it against the head wound, and then used his palms to apply pressure to the worst of his wounds near his chest. There was another severe wound, an abdominal wound, which Ken covered with the remaining cloth, securing it in place.

A low, angry voice reached his ears. "What do you think you're _doing?_" Genei hissed menacingly.

Ken glanced at him once. "You did the right decision bringing him here – while he's with us, the Freedom and Archangel won't attack, and I think you know that. We need him alive. If he's dead, it'll give all the more reason for them to pursue us."

Athrun gritted his teeth. "Kira…"

"Relax... You're going to be alright," Ken said reassuringly, surprised with how calm his voice sounded in comparison to how fast his heart was racing. He turned to the rest of the crew. "What are you all _gawking_ at? Get the medical team here, _NOW_. I need a stretcher!"

"I can't move my left arm," Athrun managed, his head turning to his side. His breathing was turning into rapid, shallow breaths, and Ken clenched his teeth as he read the tell-tale signs of shock. Without warning, the blue-haired Coordinator coughed and heaved and Ken immediately pressed down on the side of his stomach. "Kira… sorry…"

"You're alright," Ken answered, his brows pulling together as the other Coordinator stopped responding. The pilot of the Justice had lost his consciousness.

"Seorin!" Ken's head snapped up and he immediately felt a hand on his shoulder. Hikari's face was grave as she did an initial assessment of the Coordinator's condition.

"Seorin! Aya!" Daisukei's voice reached his ears. Within moments, a stretcher was placed beside the blue-haired Coordinator and Ken was relieved beyond belief when the half-masked _Renegade_ Commander appeared in front of him, along with the medical team. At least if Genei was to try and attack, he would have Daisuke on his side. Ken had no doubt that the other Coordinator must have seen the advantage they had right now – one that they desperately needed.

The doctor, a man the _Renegade_ always addressed as _Sensei_, took out a sterile dressing and pressed it against the head wound, securing it with a roller bandage. "How long as he been unconscious?"

"Only just," Ken answered, securing a large dressing over the abdominal wound as Hikari applied pressure to Athrun's side. "He said he couldn't feel his left arm," he said.

Sensei nodded, moving expertly as he examined the other Coordinator closely. "It's fractured," he reported shortly as they worked in removing the pilot suit without moving the injured Coordinator. He threw another command to Hikari, something about stopping the blood in a leg wound. Ken glanced at Athrun's face, unconscious, pale, and he turned to peek over his shoulder. Thankfully, though his eyes were still glittering with absolute hatred, Genei did no move to attack. "We can move him now," the doctor said, and Ken's attention was pulled to Athrun again. He stood and stepped back, allowing the medical team to take control of the situation.

With blood now covering his arms, he turned to Daisuke. The rest of the _Renegade_ crew seemed to be waiting as well.

Daisuke's voice was low and authoritative. There was no mistaking the fury in his voice. "I seem to remember that the Premium had been very heavily damaged in this battle. Pilots, come to the briefing room in an hour. Tierra, inform Liesel to come if her injuries permit it. I want the damage report on the _Renegade_ right _now_."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Archangel, Mobile Suit Hangar (Present Day)<strong>

Lacus found herself running to the mobile suit hangar of the Archangel as soon as the Ultimate Freedom turned and slowly moved back towards the red and white ship. She, and the rest of the Archangel crew, had heard Kira's desperate cry, the harsh sobs that wracked through his body as the _Renegade _retreated, and they had all been silenced with shock with what had just happened in front of them. Cagalli, it seemed, had suffered worst from the turn of events. She had been frantic, calling out to Athrun from the bridge with tears streaming down her cheeks, and Lacus had left her to Miriallia as she turned to flee towards the hangar. At least Cagalli's screams had subsided into low sobs by the time Lacus had left her.

She was worried.

There was no other word for it – Lacus was extremely worried.

Kira was moving down from the Ultimate Freedom by the time she reached the mobile suit hangar. Shinn, she saw, was waiting for Kira, his helmet off and his face cast to the side as he waited for the inevitable. It seemed even though they were no longer ZAFT soldiers, Shinn still respected Kira as his Commander.

The brown-haired Coordinator couldn't begin to comprehend the number of emotions that raged through his veins, like a hurricane trying to force itself through the smallest of corridors to ensure that the destruction was thorough. He had cast his helmet aside as he transported himself from the Freedom, had seen Shinn standing to the side with no intention of running away, and he was furious. Furious that the Coordinator was still there, furious for what he had done, furious for what had _happened_. Kira clenched his hands together and he moved, his violet eyes glittering, towards the black-haired Coordinator. Shinn faced him squarely, his eyes neither guilty nor defiant as he regarded Kira. Anger won over curiosity and Kira slapped him full-force across the face, a last-minute paper-thin amount of control preventing him from punching the young pilot off his feet.

Lacus gasped in surprise. "Kira!" she cried out, shocked.

Shinn turned his face back to Kira – this time, his eyes were angry.

"What were you _doing_, Shinn?" Kira snapped angrily, grabbing his collar forcefully.

The blood-red eyes were defiant. "You don't understand! That mobile suit pilot… It was Stellar!" Shinn answered, his hands circling Kira's wrists in an iron grip as he tried to release himself. Kira could just see Lunamaria running towards them, halting with her eyes wide as soon as she heard Shinn's words.

The name triggered a small memory, but Kira was too furious to remember. "So what were you trying to _do_?" he shouted.

"Stellar shouldn't be piloting that thing!"

"But she was! And she was fighting us! Even if you did know her, _why did you attack Athrun_?" his voice rose, fury clear in his violet eyes.

Shinn gritted his teeth, but for once, he found himself unable to respond. He had never seen Kira lose his temper like this before, and in truth, it surprised him. "But… Stellar…"

Kira glared at him for countless moments, but he eventually released the black-haired Coordinator roughly, turning his eyes away. "Even if your friends turn out to be your enemies, it doesn't give you the reason to stop fighting, Shinn," he said, his voice hard. But the fury no longer rolled off him now - if anything, his voice was defeated. "If you allow things like that to control you, then you won't be able to fight. You won't be able to protect. And you'll watch as those close to you are killed by that person you can't fight, and the guilt will never pass…" he trailed off, his voice hard as he bowed his head.

"Commander…" Shinn trailed off, unable to speak.

Kira glanced at him. "Remember back, Shinn. What is it that you're really fighting for? Remember it. Never lose sight of it. If you're fighting for the same thing, your paths won't diverge."

If Kira had been meaning to slap him twice, Shinn believed that the brown-haired Coordinator did not need to. Kira's words were enough, the pain aching through his chest far worse than the sting he felt on his cheek as he watched his Commander walk away. How many times had he heard those words shouted at him by Athrun during the last war? Why was it that he could not seem to make his mind up, even now? He watched as Lacus hurried to Kira, her azure eyes worried as she followed the brown-haired Coordinator. A piercing feeling of guilt penetrated his heart, and Shinn clenched his fists.

The worst part was that Kira had not said anything regarding the _Renegade_ crew taking Athrun away. Shinn knew that he wasn't to be blamed entirely for what had happened. He had refused to attack Stellar, had refused to allow Athrun to hurt her, and in Athrun's attempt to protect him, the Justice was destroyed. Worse, the cockpit was taken away, leaving them with no idea as to whether the blue-haired Coordinator was still alive or not. Shinn's actions had caused the chain reaction to what had happened, but Kira only blamed him for the actions that he had intentionally done.

The rest, the one that Shinn himself had never wanted to happen to Athrun, was left unsaid, and that was far more painful than if Kira had blamed him completely.

Shinn bowed his head, his fists clenching tightly as his defiant red eyes stared at the floor under his feet.

.

When Kira stopped walking, he was surprised to find himself outside, on one of the Archangel's many viewing decks. The sky was a clear blue and he gazed at it, his eyes almost unfocused. Lacus appeared by his side and he could barely register the feeling of her arm against his, still clad in the blue pilot suit. He barely registered her gentle, concerned voice as she said his name.

What had he done?

How could he _possibly_ have allowed Athrun to be taken away like that, right in front of his eyes? Things had happened so quickly, Kira was unable to fully make sense of the situation. Shinn's inability to fight. The Justice destroyed. The Zantetsuken and Premium retreating. The Apocalypse, Imperial and Advocate attacking. The _Renegade_'s signal flares firing. The cockpit of the Justice, so suddenly in the Advocate's arms…

_Athrun…_

He would have survived. He _must_ have survived. Kira absolutely refused to believe otherwise. But he would have been injured. And Kira had allowed him to be taken away into the enemy's hands…

What had he done?

"Kira..?"

Shinn wasn't to be blamed. Kira had known that as he flew in his Freedom, slowly, back towards the Archangel. Shinn might have refused to attack the Premium, a pilot that he seemed to know, but it wasn't his fault that Athrun was taken away. No, the blame regarding Athrun's kidnapping lies on him, and him only. He couldn't blame the defiant black-haired Coordinator, no matter how easy it might seem for him to do so. It was Kira who had failed. Kira who hadn't managed to protect his childhood friend.

The two amethyst eyes moved down, overlooking the landscape of what had been a battlefield only moments ago. A familiar call of a green, mechanical bird caught Kira's hearing and his eyes spotted the green figure immediately, flying away. _Torii…_ As his eyes followed the green bird, he immediately spotted the headpiece of the ZGMF-X19A Infinite Freedom, now lying on its side, a distance away from the Archangel. He had failed… He had failed…

"Kira."

Kira turned, his eyes focusing on the pair of gentle, azure orbs that was watching him. "Lacus…" the name escaped his lips and he gritted his teeth. She looked concerned, and he didn't deserve it. He had failed. "I'm sorry…" the words tumbled out, and the tears flowed instantly as he dropped to his knees, hugging himself. "I'm sorry…"

Lacus knelt down, pulling him into an embrace as the harsh, painful sobs wracked through his body. Eyes blurred with her own tears, she noticed that Cagalli and Miriallia had joined them on the Archangel deck, and Cagalli cried silently as she watched her brother blame himself for what had happened.

"Athrun… I couldn't… I didn't…"

"Kira… Please do not blame yourself," Lacus tried as she pulled him closer. "It's not your fault."

He had failed again. How many times had he tried and failed?

"I'm sorry…"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Second-class Minerva ship, <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

Hikari was the last to dock her Imperial after the Apocalypse and the Premium, her face grave as she deactivated her mobile suit and climbed out of the cockpit. The Justice was destroyed, but it wasn't as if that had not been predicted by Daisuke back when they were in Mendel. What Hikari _didn't_ predict would happen was for him to call back the mobile suits just a few minutes after the Justice fell, and Hikari wondered why. Of course, what Genei did was far beyond anything that she believed _could_ have happened, but she was more worried with Daisuke's actions earlier of firing the signal flares. Could Daisuke really be acting in favour of Kira? She hoped not. If their true identities were discovered, it would be over. She wouldn't like to think that Daisuke had risked their identities in trying to help that gentle brown-haired Coordinator.

She pulled her helmet off as soon as her feet touched the ground and had ran towards Ken who was furiously working over Athrun's wounds. The injured pilot looked older than the pictures she had seen before this, but his hair was the same shade of midnight blue and he had the same piercing emerald eyes, though clouded by pain. She had helped Ken as they worked through his wounds, had been aware of Genei's glare burning at the back of her neck, and she only allowed herself to relax when Daisuke had arrived. She had wondered what his reaction was when Genei did what he did, but it was impossible to tell with that half-mask covering his face.

After Athrun had been taken away and Daisuke left, Hikari walked over to Tierra, the pilot of the Zantetsuken. He seemed to be the only calm person in the ship. "How is Liesel?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Tierra shook his head. "Just minor wounds, Aya. Nothing to worry about," he reported. "She'll be released from the infirmary soon. She'll make it to the meeting," he said, turning and walking to the _Renegade_'s changing rooms.

Exhaling slowly, Hikari felt someone moving to stand beside her and she turned, relaxing considerably when she realised it was none other than her brother, Ken. His face, as usual, was unreadable, and the only hint that Hikari had of his discomfort was in his eyes, which were hard and glittering like black stones. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Fine, Aya," he sighed softly. "We could have taken down the Freedom then," he said angrily, his fists clenched together. But Hikari knew that the anger was fake, a mere cover to hide their identities.

"I know. If only the Commander hadn't called us back…" she trailed off.

Ken nodded. "But it was the right decision. I'd like to know why ZAFT didn't send us back-up forces earlier. If it wasn't for Genei's quick thinking, _we_ could have been taken down," he mused, turning to walk towards the changing room. Wordlessly, and somewhat surprised, Hikari followed him. She had been too busy fighting to take note of the situation, and therefore did not know that ZAFT had failed in sending in their forces to assist them. It was difficult to distinguish them with the naked eye, what with traitor ZAFT forces now under the Archangel… and they _were_ attacking a ZAFT base earlier, after all. Trying to distinguish which of them was friend or foe was a difficult task, and she was surprised Ken had noticed it.

Though they had an hour, Hikari found herself working quickly. She showered, her hands shaking terribly as she washed away the blood, watching as, mixed with water, they formed a hideously frightening red pool under her. Hikari had scrubbed herself until it hurt, washing away the blood and any traces of it before she finally towelled and got dressed. By the time she was done, the changing room was already empty, and the crew was already working on the repairs as ordered, almost as if the incident earlier had never happened. Hikari was surprised to find herself walking towards the sickbay, but she caught herself just in time and kept on moving until she reached the briefing room. She wanted to see Athrun, wanted to make sure he was alive and stable, but she couldn't do anything that would threaten her position.

The door to the pilot briefing room slid open, and Hikari stepped inside. Genei, pilot of the Advocate, and Tierra, pilot of the Zantetsuken, were already there, as well as Takeru Irashi, the mobile armour pilot for _Renegade_. Hikari never talked that much with Takeru, but she had always seen him with the other forces, attacking the bases and paying no attention or interest in attacking the Gundams. She chose a seat and sat down, crossing her legs, and her right hand moved to her chin as she tried to think things through. ZAFT's failure in sending out their forces may have played a large role in Daisuke's careless actions. As long as they haven't cleared out the matter, she supposed the fighting would stop for a while.

But what would happen to Athrun Zala? With a group like the Archangel, Hikari doubted that they would allow the _Renegade_ to use him against them. Threats of death would probably mean nothing, not when the Archangel was fighting for so much more. It was the harsh truth, but Hikari was certain that the Archangel was such a group. They had the advantage of surprise for when Genei snatched the cockpit from them, but she didn't believe that the Archangel would hesitate to attack the next time they meet in battle. It was a very troublesome situation – they would need to win their battles at all costs after this to prevent themselves risking death as they had done before. Whether they keep Athrun alive, or whether they killed him, the Archangel's actions would most probably be the same. So why had Daisuke ordered that Athrun be kept alive? Could they possibly use the other Coordinator in some other way?

Her attention was taken when the door slid open once again. Ken stepped inside, followed by Liesel. A small bandage was plastered to the female pilot's right cheek and she moved rather stiffly, taking a seat beside Hikari while Ken moved to the seats further behind. Hikari nodded in greeting to the blonde-haired Extended, but it was clear that Liesel was too troubled and angered to respond. Captain Sethe Tienn, a man with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, followed after, and Daisuke was the last to join them. Hikari was glad that Ryuu Apene had not joined – she supposed the Blue Cosmos leader would be busy taking advantage to ZAFT's lack of help earlier, if not trying to find a way to use Athrun to his advantage.

Daisuke stepped to the middle of the room, his masked face turned to the pilots. "I'm sorry for calling you back so soon. But I think some of you have seen the problem we were facing in that battle. We lost the Mahamul base. ZAFT did not send their forces from Victoria to assist us, and the Earth Alliance, and admittedly Ryuu Apene, are furious."

"We could have taken down the Freedom if you gave us more time," Ken spoke up scathingly.

Hikari wished she could see Daisuke's eyes and read the emotions behind that half-mask covering his face. "But there is the possibility that you cannot, Seorin. The Freedom is a powerful mobile suit that, unlike your Apocalypse, will not run out of power. We have reason to believe that the Akatsuki has such qualities as well. But the Justice was lost, and that is a big advantage to us. Genei's actions were commendable – we managed to escape with Athrun Zala now in our custody."

Genei snorted.

"Pay your respects to your Commander," Captain Tienn snapped, and Genei arched an eyebrow. The Captain narrowed his eyes. He might believe that Daisuke was a coward, but even he had seen that his actions were not incorrect. He was actually ruffled with the prisoner they had on board. Sethe did not trust the Commander of the _Renegade_, not one bit. "The problem we are facing now is about RENEGADE. Our job is to eliminate the neutral nations and opposing bases using _both_ forces from the Earth Alliance and ZAFT. When one of them fails to provide help, failure is the result, as we have seen here."

"We already know that the Earth Alliance and ZAFT will fight against each other eventually," Takeru said, his brows pulling together. "So what's the problem?"

"I would like to remind you that we _are_ trying to stop the hatred once and for all here, not just fighting for the sake of fighting," the Captain answered, narrowing his eyes. "We say that RENEGADE's ideals is to separate the Naturals and Coordinators because that _is_ our goal, if at all possible. If they still are not able to do that, and still wish to eliminate each other, then we won't exactly interfere with their foolishness. Our enemies are the neutral nations and resistance groups. That is all," he finished.

Hikari cast her eyes low. She knew that, of course. She had been surprised when Daisuke had first told her of his plan, all those years ago. _"I want to have faith that humanity isn't as foolish as they seem to be…"_ Those had been his words, and this was how they were going to find out. She sighed deeply.

Daisuke stepped forward, turning his masked face to Liesel. "Liesel. What happened with the Destiny Gundam earlier? He seemed to have quite a strange reaction when he fought against you, and stopped the Justice from attacking."

Liesel looked up, her beautiful pink-ish violet eyes focused on the masked Commander. "I'm not sure," she admitted, her face was thoughtful. "But after my cockpit was forced open, he kept on calling me 'Stellar'," she explained.

Sethe's eyebrows raised at that. "Oh..?" he mused, clearly interested. "Liesel, you are a third stage Extended. Do you know much about the previous Extendeds?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I know we were developed and improved from the earlier Extendeds, but that's about it."

"It may be of interest to you to know that during the last war, there is an Extended named Stellar Louisser, who had once been captured by the _Minerva_, and then returned to the Earth Alliance by the Impulse Gundam, then piloted by Shinn Asuka. Your physical features are exactly the same as the previous Stellar," he said, noting the surprised look on the Extended's face. "It might be useful for you to do some research on Stellar Louisser, and on Shinn Asuka. We do have good reason to believe that he may be piloting that Destiny Gaia, after all."

Liesel nodded slowly. "I'll make sure I do that."

"What will happen to the Justice's pilot?" Tierra asked suddenly. Hikari was about to ask the question herself.

Daisuke paused momentarily. "As it is, one of the reasons we managed to escape was due to that pilot being in our hands. But the Archangel is a fiercely strong ship with very strong ideals. Holding the pilot hostage here or even trying to use him against the Archangel would most likely bear no more results in our favour. His presence, right now, is no use to us, whether alive or dead," Daisuke mused.

"So why did you want to save him?" Genei asked, clearly angered when he had been stopped from shooting the blue-haired Coordinator.

"He may not be of value to the Archangel, but I have reason to believe that we can use him in a different way. This pilot, Athrun Zala, is a very capable pilot. And as it is, we are now facing some troubles with ZAFT. There is a high possibility that we can use Athrun to lure Yuri Amalfi to us if he refuses to continue cooperating with RENEGADE," the silver-haired man said, his voice soft and thoughtful. "Now, until further notice, we will keep low and watch the movements of the Earth Alliance and ZAFT. We'll work in gaining intelligence and see what we can find."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Archangel (Present Day) (Shinn &amp; Lunamaria)<strong>

_Dark images clouded his mind._

_There was the cliff he had seen millions of times in his dreams, though he had only ran along it once. Gasping for breath, watching the fear in his mother's eyes, his sister struggling to keep up as they raced for safety from the attacking DINNs… They were DINNs, weren't they? He had not known it at the time, but after visiting the same dream countless times, he was sure now. He had been a ZAFT soldier long enough to know…_

_There was the Freedom, trying to escape with the Archangel, and he had attacked it. Commanding the Minerva to send out his different striker packs, one by one, lashing out again, and again, and again, to that one mobile suit that would never fight to take his life, he had thrust his sword into its middle, watching it explode and laughing with delight that he had finally gotten his revenge…_

_The cliff again, the falling pink handphone, the sound of his sister crying out because the item was important to her. It was the last time he had heard her voice, alive and not a mere recording. He jumped, retrieved it, and was blown off his feet. Turn, see the arm of what was left of his sister, his Mayu…_

_A blue ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited, flying away, and equipped with his new sword, his Destiny, he had chased after that mobile suit. That traitor, the one who never fully understood him and his actions... The lightning struck in the sky, the anger coursed through his veins, and he thrust his sword into the GOUF's chest, wanting to kill…_

_Berlin, the destruction from the Destroy Gundam, then a familiar voice belonging to Neo Roanoke telling him that it was the beautiful blonde-haired girl who was piloting it. Eyes opening in horror, the Freedom defeating the Destroy, the girl fatally wounded, clutching his hand now, her eyes terrified and full with sorrow…_

"_Shinn… protect Stellar…"_

"Shinn. Shinn!"

Shinn gasped in surprise and immediately sat up, sweat drenching his face and body. The voice called him again, familiar now, reassuring, chasing the nightmares away for now, and he turned to the other Coordinator by his side, gazing deep into her dark blue eyes. "Luna…" Shinn exhaled, his hand moving to his forehead.

Her eyes were concerned. "Are you alright, Shinn?" she asked, settling to sit by the side of his bed. She handed him a small towel and he wiped his face, exhaling deeply again.

"Yes… thanks…" he managed.

Lunamaria's eyes softened. "I'm sorry – I called from outside, but nobody answered. You were having a nightmare, Shinn…" she said quietly, her hand moving to rest against his. He bowed his head, the guilt now washing over him. Stellar was the first woman Shinn had ever loved. He still dreamt about her, still dreamt of Berlin and how he had been unable to protect even though he had promised her that he would. But she had died, and he had accepted that fact. Shinn's gaze turned towards Luna's hand resting against his and he bowed his head further, hiding his eyes behind his fringe.

"I'm sorry…"

"What happened?" she asked. They both knew she wasn't referring to the nightmare.

He shook his head. He didn't know what had happened himself. "I saw her, Luna. In the Premium. It was Stellar."

Lunamaria cast her eyes down, her heart aching as she heard the desperation in his voice. She felt no jealousy for the turn of events, but that was because she knew of the truth, just as how Shinn does: "She died during the last war, Shinn…"

"_I know that_," Shinn retorted, a small hint of annoyance colouring his tone. He sighed. "I don't know."

Her calm eyes gazed at him for a few moments, taking note of the conflict she could easily feel radiating off from his body. Gently, Lunamaria rested her hand against Shinn's shoulder, her eyes softening as he raised his guilt-ridden red eyes on her. "You'll figure it out," she said quietly, leaning forward, her eyes never leaving his face. Shinn deliberated for a moment, but he knew his decision even after he had spotted the pilot of the Premium earlier. He had long already said his goodbyes to Stellar. Wanting the comfort more than anything else, Shinn pressed his lips around hers, his hand resting on her back, feeling the tears escaping his eyelids.

.

"Is Cagalli… okay? And… the Commander…" he risked the question as they exited the sleeping quarters. Regardless of what he had done, Shinn never wanted anyone to suffer any injuries for his actions.

Lunamaria nodded, much to his relief. "The Commander is fine. They put Representative Attha to sleep again today… she's in the infirmary now," she said quietly.

"I see…" The other pilot arched her eyebrow, watching the black-haired Coordinator's face, and made the decision for him. Her hand moved to the sleeve of his red ZAFT uniform and she began to pull him towards the infirmary. "Oy, Luna! What are you doing?" Shinn asked, annoyed and flustered at the same time.

"You need to work this out yourself," she answered easily. The door slid open as they reached the infirmary, and Luna pulled him inside easily – he was immediately silenced as his eyes rested on the sleeping, golden-haired Orb Representative in front of him. Shinn stopped walking and gazed at her – he could clearly see that her cheeks were stained with tears. The Coordinator had been with the Archangel crew long enough to know that Athrun was a very important person to Cagalli.

Shinn had been so surprised to see the fiery Representative resting that he hadn't noticed Lacus sitting beside her. He only realised her presence when she stood, smiling pleasantly at him. "Hello, Shinn, Lunamaria," she greeted gently.

He blinked. "Lacus-sama… Sorry, I –"

"I'm glad you came," she interrupted him, much to his surprise. "Are you alright?"

Shinn grimaced. Why was _she_ asking about _his_ well-being? "I'm fine…"

Lacus tilted her head slightly, her pretty azure eyes searching him. Shinn could feel his body tense slightly. He had a very high amount of respect to the pink-haired songstress, had seen how determined she had been in the five years she was Chairwoman and how she had changed humanity's perception. If it wasn't for Lacus, Shinn had little doubt that there wouldn't even be any resistant groups against RENEGADE. But Lacus had a very calm gaze, and he felt as if she was seeing right through him. At long last, she smiled, the gentle pull of her lips making her look even more pure and beautiful. "I'm glad." There was no doubt in her voice that she truly meant it. "Then... can I leave her to you for a while? Kira should come soon," she said, surprising him.

He had been too surprised to work out the right answer, and was very much dismayed when Luna jumped to the gun; "Are you going to the bridge, Lacus-sama? I want to see if we can contact Meyrin!" she said cheerfully, perhaps too brightly.

Lacus raised her eyebrows, and a knowing smile crossed her lips. "Yes, we will contact the Eternal. I'm sure we can talk to your sister, too. Shall we go?"

"What? Oy - Oy!"

Appalled, Shinn watched as the young princess left, followed by the traitor Lunamaria. The door slid shut behind them and he clenched his fists together, annoyed beyond belief that they had dumped Cagalli Yula Attha on him like that. Shinn huffed loudly, his gleaming blood-red eyes turning to the unconscious Representative, then softening again as he watched her sleep. After what he had done, looking over her while waiting for Kira to arrive shouldn't be something for him to complain about. If it wasn't for Shinn, perhaps she wouldn't even _be_ here, all hopeless and pathetic. Hesitantly, he took the seat by the side of her bed that had been occupied by Lacus earlier and waited.

For Athrun's sake, he would need to be strong in the next battle. He wanted to confront that Premium pilot, to ask who she was… to see if she was really Stellar, even though his heart knew it was impossible that it was her. It was simply impossible. Stellar had died in his arms. He had seen it; he had stayed there, almost frozen, as he cried over her dead body. And he had laid her down to rest peacefully. She no longer needed to fight. She no longer needed to be afraid of dying. She no longer needed to live in fear.

A faint memory came to him. During the second war. How he had seemingly passed out in the Destiny for a moment, and she had come to him, like a dream. She had been smiling, her beautiful pink/violet eyes gentle as she reached him, and told him that she would see him tomorrow.

He hadn't understood her at the time, even though he did feel at peace when he saw her smiling face. But she had said that clearly, that they would meet again. Tomorrow.

Was this the tomorrow she had meant? It couldn't be. But still, the Justice had been taken down, the cockpit taken away by the enemy. Athrun could either be alive or dead. Shinn hadn't even seen Kira anywhere since that battle. How many days had it been? After the fight with Kira, Shinn had stayed in his room long enough to lose track of the time. The brown-haired Coordinator had not come into the room at all, hadn't laid down to sleep, and Shinn felt uneasy about that. Kira had always busied himself, even before this. He had often seen the ZAFT soldiers and worked on the bridge when he wasn't piloting a mobile suit, and when Shinn had seen him like that, it suddenly made sense why it was Kira who piloted the Freedom. Why couldn't _he_ be like that? Why couldn't _he_ fight his battles without second thoughts, without things that plagued his mind? It was because of that pilot… That Premium pilot that had caused him to doubt himself, and thus led Athrun to become the victim…

Athrun didn't even deserve it. Shinn had always argued with Athrun, but the blue-haired Coordinator never stopped trying in helping Shinn figure out his reasons for fighting. Athrun had always questioned his motives, had always asked him the questions that made him think for once, stopping him from following his superiors' orders blindly. Athrun had protected him, countless times, and if there was anyone who was supposed to fall into the enemy's hands during that fight, it was Shinn, not Athrun…

A loud sigh broke his thoughts. "It's bad enough being forced to sleep here without waking up and seeing such a pathetic face, Shinn," Cagalli said.

Shinn's eyebrows shot up. Cagalli's eyes were open, revealing the golden-coloured orbs, and she sat up, holding her head. Shinn narrowed his eyes. "It's your fault for looking so wretched," he retorted, annoyed. He was surprised when she only shrugged, a small smile on her lips.

"That Kira worries too much about everything. He drugged me," her voice was accusing and irritated as she rubbed her temples. A few moments passed and Cagalli realised that Shinn was still looking at her. "What?"

He couldn't help but ask. "You're not going to blame me about Athrun?"

Cagalli raised her eyebrows, and for a few moments, she stared deeply at him with unreadable eyes. But she eventually shook her head, casting her gaze to her knees. "It wasn't really your fault," she pointed out.

Cagalli knew that she had never truly been on the best of terms with Shinn Asuka, pilot of the Destiny Gaia Gundam. Though their relationship had improved since the last war, it still held a small air of abnormality that she could not shake off. She found herself surprised when Lunamaria had recounted what had happened earlier in the mobile suit hangar while she was in the bridge with Miriallia. Kira's outburst had surprised her. In a strange, twisted, unbelievable way, Cagalli now actually felt a sort of kinship with Shinn… mainly due to the fact that she, too, had once been slapped by Kira during the first war, and she knew how painful _that_ was.

Cagalli knew that despite his manner of speaking, Shinn wasn't a bad person… not that _she_ could comment on speaking manners, of course. She shook her head, managing a small smile. "I heard what happened between you and Kira. He's got a hard slap, hasn't he? I felt it a few years ago," she confessed, not wanting to offend the Coordinator.

The young pilot looked genuinely surprised. "Is that so?"

"Yep," Cagalli shrugged lightly. "I had it coming for me, though," she said, her lips tugging into a smile as she remembered back. Her eyes softened, and she lowered her voice. "Don't take it too personally, Shinn. Kira… he's speaking from his own experience. You probably never knew, but Kira was once Athrun's enemy, during the first war. He was forced into the Earth Alliance, and watched as Athrun killed his friend… and he killed Athrun's. So it's not as if he doesn't understand. I guess he blames himself," she said truthfully.

Shinn snorted. "That guy always blames himself. Is he an idiot or something?" he asked scornfully, but he was truly surprised with what he just learned.

"I think he is," Cagalli said lightly.

"But Athrun…"

"Athrun is alive. And he'll return," Cagalli said, her words holding so much confidence and faith in the missing Coordinator that it surprised him.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

The Ultimate Freedom docked safely. As Kira's foot touched down onto the ground, he cast his eyes around and was painfully aware of the absence of the Infinite Justice from the Archangel's mobile suit hangar. He had launched to Cagalli's flagship, the Harutsuki, and had then moved to one of the ZAFT Vosgulov-class submarines that were located not far from the Archangel, resting in the depths of the ocean. Strangely, RENEGADE had fallen silent, and Kira wondered if the last battle had that had ended in failure on their part had anything to do with it.

He had lost track of the time, and did not know how many days had passed by since the Justice had been brought down. Earlier, he had entered his room, noticing that Shinn had fallen asleep on Athrun's bed, and Kira had watched the black-haired Coordinator with unreadable eyes before stepping into the bathroom, showering quickly, then leaving again to head to the Harutsuki.

"Oy, kid… Finally back? When are you heading out next?" Kojiro Murdoch, the Archangel's senior technician, called from the foot of the Akatsuki. Kira turned, surprised. He did not miss the sarcasm in Murdoch's voice, who had already scolded him once for pushing himself too far.

Kira managed a small smile, his hand unconsciously moving to the back of his head as he tried to hide his embarrassment. "Sorry. How are the repairs going?"

"The Destiny Gaia is still not fully repaired yet. That kid seemed to have run it through a bulldozer. Archangel's third and fifth thrusters are still out. Hopefully, you'll let us examine your Freedom next, kid, before it breaks down from lack of maintenance and repair," Murdoch answered in the same, biting tone.

Kira held his hands out, a sign of defeat. "Okay, I'll leave it to you. Thanks," he said quickly. He managed to bite his tongue just in time to prevent himself from offering them his help – Murdoch would probably ask Murrue to issue a restraining order on him if he did that. As if reading his thoughts, the senior technician huffed and shook his head, turning his attention on the Akatsuki again.

As he was left alone, Kira turned his eyes on the Ultimate Freedom standing tall and proud in front of him. Mudoch was not completely wrong in what he had said. The mobile suit's diagnostics had already issued multiple messages on the damages his Freedom had sustained in the previous battle, but all he had done was to reroute the power and adjusted the system so it would hold. Kira wouldn't like to think what Murdoch might say to him when he found out later. But it was impossible for Kira to sit still and do nothing, not with Athrun still in the enemy's hands.

When the Justice exploded and the _Renegade_ retreated, the remaining forces of Orb's fleet and ZAFT fighters battled with what was left of the Earth Alliance's attacking forces. Many pulled back, but there were some that stayed until the end. Due to back-up forces not being sent from ZAFT, they had amazingly managed to defend the base – something that made Kira felt, truly, that they were still fighting for something and that it was not all futile. What pained him most was the exchange, the price that they had to pay, to taste such a small amount of success. The Justice, now beyond repair, and Athrun, now lost in the enemy ship. After his confrontation with Shinn, Kira had stayed away from the black-haired Coordinator, but they did not seem to cross paths often – he knew that Shinn had confined himself into his room, and Kira had busied himself with the Mahamul base and the forces on their side. Thankfully, the casualties in Mahamul were not that great, and until the Archangel decided to launch again, they would keep it safe and defended.

The soldiers in Mahamul had been all-too-glad when Kira brought Lacus to them an hour after the battle. He had launched again, this time with Lacus, to meet the few that had bravely decided to defend the peace between Naturals and Coordinators. Kira had helped where he could, in repairing mobile suits and re-organising lost and broken squadrons, while Lacus had helped with the well-being of the soldiers, in medical treatment and ensuring that they all ate. Even with their small numbers, the ZAFT soldiers still fought to survive, but decided that they would stay in Mahamul and protect the resistance groups there instead of joining the Archangel – a decision that Kira was all-too-happy to agree with. It was nighttime by the time they returned back to the Archangel, and after making sure that Lacus and Cagalli were safe, Kira made his way to the Archangel hangar and launched again, this time to check on the ZAFT and Orb forces stationed loyally at the ocean. His actions had been repeated, seemingly in a blur, until he lost count how many days had passed.

Kira did not notice when his feet began walking from the Archangel hangar, or even where they were leading him to, and only noticed when he came face-to-face with the small elevator that would lead him to the Archangel's bridge. A small, dark chuckle escaped his lips and he entered, descending, the door sliding open to reveal the bridge. Waltfeld, Mu and Murrue were there, as well as Miriallia and Lunamaria. Sai and Kuzzey's stations were empty, taken by Dalida and Jackie Tonomura instead. Lacus was talking to Mu and Murrue when he arrived, and she turned to him, her azure eyes brightening. "Kira!"

The crew members turned to him, and Murrue hurried to his side. "Kira! Are you alright?" she asked, concern clear in her voice. Kira wondered what his face looked like to make her use such a tone.

"I'm fine," Kira said reassuringly. "I came from St. Helen," he said, referring to one of ZAFT's Vosgulov-class submarines. "They've been helping out with the Mahamul base, but everything seems fine. ZAFT seems really quiet," he reported shortly.

Waltfeld and Mu exchanged glances. "We've been contacting the Eternal," Waltfeld reported. "They've docked in Heliopolis, and Yzak said that PLANTs hasn't been up to anything. That Meyrin girl didn't seem to have discovered anything."

Kira relaxed. If Meyrin reported that everything was clear, then there was nothing to worry about. "I see. So what will we do now?"

The older man shrugged. "Keep our eyes out for any movement. RENEGADE has been silent since the attack on the Mahamul base. But I think we should check up on the Earth Alliance. Our intelligence in JOSH-A tells us that there might be something going on with this war escalating. I won't put it past Apene to start sprouting anti-Coordinator statements again with ZAFT failing to send their forces. We should try and see what we can find, but for now, we need to wait for things to start moving again," Waltfeld finished, the tone in his voice clearly telling them that he wasn't satisfied with their position.

Lacus turned to him, a small smile on her lips. "It can't he helped if they aren't making a move. We should find out what their plans are. The resistance groups in the Eurasian Federation are all that's left… as well as Heliopolis," she pointed out. Murrue sighed.

"Well, in that case, we'll do it," Mu said lightly, his tone lifting the heavy atmosphere again. He walked over to Murrue, placing a reassuring arm around her shoulders, and she relaxed, shrugging lightly. "I guess so," she finally agreed.

The door to the bridge slid open and Cagalli walked inside, followed by Shinn. The black-haired Coordinator seemed truly surprised to see Kira there, but he made no move to speak as he moved to Lunamaria, silently asking her if she had gotten in contact with Meyrin. Cagalli walked over to Kira and he smiled tiredly at her, squeezing her shoulder. It saddened Kira to see the emptiness and dullness in the fiery golden eyes of hers, but there was also the usual determination there. She, like Kira, had not given up on Athrun. But they both knew that the missing Coordinator would be injured, and worry clenched both their hearts.

Cagalli turned to Murrue. "So now we'll just have to wait until they make a move..?" she guessed.

Murrue nodded, her eyes sympathetic. "I'm afraid so."

The young Representative clenched her hands. "We'll probably meet that ship again sooner or later..." she trailed off.

The brown-haired Captain moved forward, standing right in front of her. "If that happens... What will you do?"

She had already known her answer long before this. Cagalli bowed her head, her eyes hidden behind her fringe. "We'll still attack," she said quietly. Shinn turned, his red eyes surprised as he regarded Cagalli. "That guy will never forgive us if we refuse to fight for his sake," she said, biting her lips.

"Are you sure?" Murrue asked.

"Athrun wouldn't want us to lose for his sake," Kira said, his eyes clearly pained when the words escaped his lips. "He would want us to continue fighting, no matter what. Athrun is alive. I'm sure he is, and I'm sure that he'll return to us again soon. So if the time comes for us to fight, we will," he said. Cagalli threw a grateful glance at his twin, a brave but sad smile on her lips.

Shinn clenched his hands. Kira's words echoed in his mind again, almost as if he had said them so many months ago; _"Remember back, Shinn. What is it that you're really fighting for? Remember it. Never lose sight of it. If you're fighting for the same thing, your paths won't diverge."_ At that moment, he vowed that at all costs, he would fight to get Athrun back, no matter what.

.

"Are you alright, Kira?"

Kira raised his head, his amethyst eyes gazing deep into the beautiful blue/grey orbs that was watching him. He had exited the bridge with Lacus soon after their discussion on their next plan and was really about to make his way to the mobile suit hangar when she directed the question at him. He nodded, managing as reassuring a smile as he could, but he knew that lying to Lacus was like trying to tell her that her Haro had stopped working: pointless and impossible. Kira hadn't slept in days. He was always haunted, the image of the Justice exploding, the cockpit taken away right in front of his eyes, always plaguing his mind whenever he tried.

"You need to rest, Kira," Lacus reprimanded gently, her voice soft.

"I'm fine," Kira answered. He didn't want to sleep.

Lacus wasn't fooled. She had been with him for too long already to know that Kira hadn't been sleeping, that his dreams were being haunted by nightmares again. She guided him to his sleeping quarters, grateful that the room was empty when the door slid open, and led him inside.

Kira seemed to have just realised where they were. "Lacus –" he began, clearly wanting to argue. A firm finger pressed itself against his lips and Lacus led him to his bed. Sighing, defeated, Kira laid down, his eyes instantly feeling heavy as his head rested against the pillow. "But…"

"It's alright. I'll stay with you," Lacus said softly, already knowing his fears. She held his hand, and he was instantly reminded of how she had cared for him, all those years ago, after the first war when he had truly been broken. A green mechanical bird flew towards them and settled to stand beside his bed, tilting its head and watching him curiously. _Torii... I swear I'll get him back... _She began to sing, her voice low and peaceful, and she stroked him gently, caressing his cheek. Drained, Kira's eyes closed against his will, the last image in his mind before unconsciousness took him was Lacus's calm face, her azure eyes gentle as her pure voice sang him to a peaceful sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis, Lagrange Area 3 – <strong>_**Aurora **_**(Present Day)**

Yzak was flustered. Not only did he not know what the hell was going on between ZAFT, the Earth Alliance and RENEGADE, he had also discovered that the _kisama_ Athrun Zala had been blasted up inside the Infinite Justice in a small battle defending the resistance base of Mahamul in the Eurasian Federation. Worse, the _kisama_ got himself kidnapped by the Renegade ship! He exhaled in frustration, his feet quickly moving to the bridge of the _Aurora_. In his time here in Heliopolis, he found that the only really useful crew member was Meyrin Hawke, and thus had spent more time with her than the others in trying to find out what was going on.

The Eternal, since its launch from wherever it had been hiding near PLANTs all this time, had successfully docked in Heliopolis's hangar. For the time being, until either Lacus or Andrew Waltfeld would return, Yzak had assigned Dearka and Shiho there. With Laniel already commanding the _Aurora_, having another black-uniformed officer on board was a wasted hassle, and Yzak knew the Eternal was keeping a close eye on the goings-on of the Earth and space as well. He was familiar with one of Eternal's crew members – a young man named Martin DaCosta – and it seemed as if neither PLANTs nor the Earth Alliance would be happy in just separating the Naturals and Coordinators, as Yzak had learned from his mother more than a week ago.

The door to _Aurora_'s bridge slid open and Yzak stepped inside, his icy blue eyes immediately resting on Meyrin Hawke, sitting in the CIC seat of the Nazca-class ship with a hand pressed against her earpiece. He walked over to her and looked over her shoulder, gazing blankly at the screen in front of him as he tried to make sense of her hacking attempts.

"Did you get anything?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Meyrin shook her head. Negative. _Again_. "I've been listening to some of the private channels and transmissions by Chairman Amalfi. But there's nothing, and he's been switching channels lately," she reported shortly.

"Any idea why they didn't assist with the attack on Mahamul?"

"None," she answered. Yzak wasn't surprised. Since their failure in lending their help, Blue Cosmos had been unsurprisingly aggressive, and he wouldn't be shocked if Apene sent nuclear missiles to PLANTs as an act of revenge. Meyrin turned, her eyes flickering to Yzak. "There's a secret database from Maius about the development of a new weapon project. Something called the GENESIS ZERO, but I can't hack into their system. It's heavily protected, with a dangerous virus that will shut down our system if it's activated – we'll be tracked down if it does," she said, frowning.

Now this caught his interest. In the first war, ZAFT had built a powerful weapon named GENESIS, a huge gamma ray emissor with devastating destruction abilities. First destroyed by Athrun Zala, it was then developed under Gilbert Durandal during the second war and was given the name Neo-GENESIS, then destroyed by Kira Yamato. Was it possible that they were _still _developing those things? Considering the situation, and what Ezalia had told him of ZAFT wanting to weaken the Earth forces so they could eliminate the Naturals, it was only to be expected. Yzak's hands clenched tight, his eyes narrowing as he thought through the situation.

"Try and see what the thing is, Meyrin. If they are really rebuilding GENESIS, we can't just sit here and watch," Yzak said, his eyes narrowing considerably at the discovery.

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown – Second Generation Minerva-class ship, <strong>_**Renegade**_**, Sickbay (Present Day)**

Heaviness. That was the first thought (no, it wasn't a thought… more like… a fleeting sensation) that crossed Athrun Zala's mind. He could feel himself being weighed down, could feel the tell-tale signs of the drugs working through the cells of his body, and he wanted to break out of it. Out of the heavy darkness, out of this thing called _unconsciousness_ that was becoming so glaringly obvious… His mind registered something… was it pain? He believed it was. Pain being held by the sidelines, almost like a piece of string holding back angry bull from attacking – overwhelming, but still just there, waiting to strike him. He tried to move, but either his body was too heavy, or he was being held down. He tried to turn, but his chest wouldn't budge, and ah… there was the pull of the strings again. The angry bull. He tried to move his arms, to raise it to press against that dull pain by his side, but they wouldn't move. What was wrong with him?

It wasn't completely dark anymore. He could see bright light from behind his closed eyelids – the sensation of seeing a dark red colour instead of pitch black; the sign that he had his eyes closed in a lit room instead of in absolute darkness. He sent the commands to his brain, to _open his eyes_. Ouch. There was the glare. The brightness of the room was painful, but he couldn't remember what had happened. Where was he?

Athrun blinked his eyes open again, immediately turning his head when the glare hurt his eyes again. It took a few seconds longer than usual for him to get used to the brightness, and immediately, he realised that he was in some sort of infirmary. Turning his head, Athrun realised that he was alone. But what surprised him was that the first thought that entered his mind about the location he was in was '_Minerva_'s sickbay'. _Minerva_? Since when had he entered _Minerva_?

No… It couldn't be. Last time he entered that ship, he had been the silly idiot who was too desperate for power to be able to protect his friends. Last time… it was five years ago. He remembered now. Kira coming back to them… RENEGADE… Yuri Amalfi… The Infinite Justice… Yes, he had been in a battle… and he had been distraught – why? – oh yes, the Destiny Gaia. Shinn… Yelling something about Stellar. Where had he heard the name before? And he had been attacked… Then he remembered something else. Kira's voice, so loud in the cockpit of his Justice as he screamed his name… He sounded terrified, furious, pained… He remembered a strong thing impacting his Justice, and being flown away… Then he was pulled from the cockpit, laid down, and Kira had helped him, had asked him to stay… But there was one detail that Athrun could not make sense of at the time. What was it? The eyes… Yes… Kira's eyes had been black, and not the usual shade of violet – how was that possible? His hair looked reddish, and that was odd, too…

Slowly, Athrun began to piece the events together. Protecting the Destiny. Being attacked. Taken away. Kira's anguished cry of pain. An argument while he laid there, unable to move, unable to breathe. Minerva's sickbay…

"No!" Athrun gasped as realization hit him. A loud groan escaped his lips as his body forced itself to sit up, only to find that he was strapped down. He tasted blood – he had bit down, hard, in an attempt to stop himself from yelling out in pain. Pain… he could feel it now… His chest, his abdomen, his arms, his legs… Athrun clenched his teeth together, forcing it away to the very back of his mind. He couldn't afford to be consumed now… He had to _think_.

He had been kidnapped by the _Renegade_ crew. It explained Kira's cry. It explained why he had identified this place as the _Minerva_'s sickbay. _Renegade_, like the _Minerva_ he had joined five years ago, was a Minerva-class battleship, stolen from ZAFT.

By the time Athrun won the fight against the wave of agony that tried to overpower him, he was breathing hard. Sweat trickled down his forehead and he cursed himself for being in such a vulnerable position. Kira… Was he alright? What about Cagalli? _Kuso_. If there was one thing Athrun didn't like, it was to be a liability. He needed to escape. He needed to get back...

The door slid open and he turned his eyes as a young teenager, a female, walked inside. She couldn't be older than him, with long black hair and dark blue eyes. Hikari raised her eyebrows in surprise as she walked towards the injured Coordinator. The doctor had said that he would most likely stay down until the next day – she hadn't expected him to wake so soon. Were the painkillers too weak? He was supposed to be unconscious. But this pilot, Athrun Zala, was awake, and she supposed she might as well play her role now. She moved to sit next to him, her eyes looking over his figure, taking in the beads of sweat covering his face, his harsh breathing, the anger and pain clouding his eyes.

"You're awake," Hikari noted unnecessarily.

"Why?" Athrun spat, his voice infuriated. Clearly, he had figured things out on his own.

Hikari shook her head. "We needed to escape. You were there to ensure that they wouldn't pursue," she stated simply.

Athrun glared at her. Hikari had to admit, his face did hold a very menacing look when he stared at her like that. He wanted to shout at her, to tell her that it was useless to keep him because Kira would _never_ allow him to be used against the Archangel. But he knew that that information should be kept to himself – he did not want them to have a motive to kill him. He had enough faith in Kira. Kira would… _never_… risk the lives of those on the Archangel for him. He wouldn't forgive Kira if the brown-haired Coordinator did something like that.

"Are you alright?" Hikari arched an eyebrow, looking down at him. "Those painkillers don't seem to be working too well, Athrun Zala."

So they knew who he was. Athrun narrowed his eyes. Well, in that case, he would learn as much as possible about them. "Who are you?"

"You can call me Aya Hattori," Hikari answered. "I am the pilot of the Imperial. You are on board the _Renegade_, and have been unconscious for a few days."

"What do you intend to do?"

Hikari shrugged. "Right now, it's all down to the Commander."

.

"Should I expect a good reason why things turned out the way it did?" Daisuke asked, his masked face staring emotionlessly at the screen in front of him. He wasn't particularly sure how he felt with how things were turning out currently. A day after the last battle at the Mahamul base, he received strict orders from Ryuu Apene to send the Blue Cosmos leader to JOSH-A - something that Daisuke truthfully was all-too-happy to agree with. The journey was long and offered the Captain of the _Renegade_ a few hours of peace to his own thoughts as he tried to figure out what was going on. He had stayed in his office, leaving the ship under his Vice-Captain's control, and wondered if their plans had been changed with the recent events.

Apene, needless to say, was furious. But there was no denying the look of triumph that was apparent in his eyes as he patiently waited for them to arrive in JOSH-A. The fine line of peace between the Atlantic Federation and ZAFT was like an onion's skin, and Daisuke knew that he was walking on eggshells. RENEGADE could be disbanded at any moment, in which the real Natural and Coordinator war would break out - something that, by all means, Daisuke wanted to avoid. So when he discovered that he couldn't contact Yuri Amalfi after Apene safely disembarked from the _Renegade_, Daisuke was no longer as calm and collected as he liked to be. He, too, was trying to contain his anger at the Coordinator in front of him. It took him many days to finally track Amalfi down from Earth, many precious days to finally convince the Chairman that he could no longer hide in hidden networks, and finally, they had the chance to talk.

Amalfi did not look at all amused. His eyes were glittering, the hatred in those orbs never dying down ever since his son had been killed in the Blitz during the first war. He did not hide his glare as he stared at the half-masked Coordinator, saying nothing.

Daisuke sighed. He supposed it was a good thing they were speaking over a secure line and not face-to-face. He had had a hard time dealing with Apene already without adding Amalfi into the equation. "You know that the Atlantic Federation is furious that they were not able to overcome Mahamul, Chairman Amalfi. I wonder if you truly believe that sparking this war is a good idea. We are very close to achieving RENEGADE's ideals. Very close to separating the Naturals and Coordinators once and for all. So I implore you, Chairman, not to act recklessly based on your emotions alone."

The new Chairman of ZAFT leaned back, his eyes hard. "I was still dissatisfied with how they had destroyed Aprillius," he said bitterly.

The Commander inhaled, trying to keep his patience. "The operation was not a failure."

"The operation allowed the Naturals to take advantage of us!"

"Then what do you intend to do?" Daisuke snapped. "Declare war again until we reach another stalemate?"

Much to his surprise, Amalfi suddenly looked thoughtful... almost as if he was pleased with himself. He shook his head. "There will not _be_ another stalemate," he said confidently.

"You must show the Atlantic Federation that ZAFT still holds RENEGADE's ideals!" Daisuke spat angrily.

"With all due respect, Commander Aiten, do you really believe that RENEGADE can offer peace?" Daisuke clenched his hands. No, he did not believe it. Not in the least. But he was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Amalfi smiled, a satisfied look now colouring his face. "I thought so."

"Do you think that calling for another war between Naturals and Coordinators would honour the memory of your son?" Daisuke asked, his voice quiet.

It was the wrong question to ask, but that was why Daisuke had attempted it. Amalfi leapt to his feet instantly, his eyes glittering with hatred and anger upon the mentioning of his dead son. "Don't you _dare_ use Nicol's name as if you know him!" he roared.

Daisuke's face was still calm behind the half-mask. "Then perhaps you should ask someone who does."

"_What_?"

He had his second trump card, thanks to Genei. "There is a close comrade of your son's that you can meet. It might interest you to see him and ask the question yourself if you are unsure," Daisuke said slowly, watching as Amalfi's eyes clouded with doubt. "I have Athrun Zala on board."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> How many of you saw this coming? How many didn't? :D Let me tell you, it was after I finished writing the original Phase Thirteen that this new idea came to me, and I just _had_ to utilise it. In the original Phase Thirteen, Athrun was saved by the Archangel, and I didn't think the idea would come to me to have this going on above everything else. Poor Archangel, the crew would be all shaken by now with the things that's going on. But this change will probably add another 30k (or more) to the story, with a lot more impact on what will be the end of the fic!

A little bit of bad news – it's officially the start of the semester, and I have my studies to juggle along with this fic now. I will still try my hardest to deliver a chapter every week – if not, I'll try and make sure I take no longer than ten days for an installment to happen. In which case, the next chapter is predicted to happen some time between 23rd and 27th September.

Many thanks go to AngelicFox12, Portsmouth, PrincessOfDestiny14 and San17 for the reviews! You guys are so awesome. XD Thanks to those who alert-ed, favouite-d and read the fic! Drop a review? Until next time!

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><p><strong>AngelicFox12:<strong> I'm glad! The attack on Athrun was meant as a surprise, but I had hinted on Liesel's appearance in the past. :D I'm glad it still came as a surprise to you! I wonder if this chapter came as much as a surprise to you as it did to me!

**San17:** Thanks for the reviews! :D I'm sorry about the confusion with the update dates, but back then, I really had no idea whatsoever when the next chapter would come out with all my notes for this story gone. I'm actually (pleasantly) surprised you find it disheartening that the fic is already more than half-way through. I thought people would rejoice the coming of the end of this fic. XD You do know you're reading more than 10k per chapter, right? This story is quite long as it is. But with Athrun's sudden twist here, I guess we can say that the end will come just a little bit later than planned. In all honesty, I don't really want this fic to end just yet either. These two months have been a blast!

The Destiny in GSD did have a Voiture Lumiere propulsion system, but the Destiny Gaia in this fic doesn't – Shinn's mobile suit was developed by the Clyne Faction, and under strict orders from Lacus, they weren't allowed to develop anything that goes against the treaty (refer Chapter 6/Phase 5). Ken pilots the Apocalypse under the alias of Seorin. Hikari pilots the Imperial under the alias of Aya. The importance of their aliases will be explained later on. And rest assured, Liesel is an Extended, not a clone. :D If you haven't been able to guess, I'll probably be revealing it in the next two/three chapters.


	15. PHASE 14: In The Memory of Nicol

**PHASE FOURTEEN: In The Memory Of Nicol  
><strong>

**C.E 79 – PLANTs, Supreme Council Building, Aprillius One (Present Day)**

Athrun Zala. Athrun Zala. Athrun… Zala.

Yuri Amalfi sighed and buried his face in his hands as the name repeated itself in his mind, over and over again. At the same time, the image of the young pilot came to his mind, clear and apparent, almost as if he was standing right in front of him. Son of the late Patrick and Lenore Zala. Athrun Zala. A young man with a well-built body, quick and athletic. A sharp nose, rather high cheekbones, firm lips, and the most piercing emerald-green eyes that seemed to be able to look straight into a person's soul. Long-ish midnight blue hair framed the handsome face, and it was not uncommon knowledge that he had been extremely popular… especially among the girls, especially when he was engaged to Lacus Cyne. Top in ZAFT's Military Academy for his consignment. Graduated as a red-uniformed ZAFT elite pilot. Assigned to the Creuset Team. And most importantly, perhaps, the last person to see Nicol Amalfi alive.

He had met Athrun Zala, of course, several times during the first war. He had formed a small attachment to the boy in a way, and would have been proud to have a son like him, if not for Athrun betraying his own father and PLANTs for the sake of his fiancée, Lacus Clyne. Amalfi had also met the other members of the Creuset Team: Rusty Mackenzie, Miguel Aiman, Dearka Elsman and Yzak Joule. He heard that Rusty and Miguel had both died in the first war, but Dearka and Yzak were still alive… until they somehow vanished without trace during the attempted assassination of Lacus Clyne. Their ship, the _Voltaire_, had been destroyed by the Earth Alliance forces stationed outside Aprillius at the time, but Amalfi had no idea if both soldiers had survived the battle.

Athrun, Amalfi knew, had enlisted in Orb's military after the second war. He heard that the blue-haired Coordinator had also enlisted in ZAFT under Chairman Durandal during the first few months of the war, also assigned to the FAITH Special Forces unit, but had turned his back against ZAFT yet again to join the Archangel and Eternal. Last time Amalfi heard news about Athrun, he discovered that the young Coordinator had held a position as Orb's Admiral. He wondered what Athrun was doing on board the_ Renegade_, but judging by Commander Aiten's manner of speaking earlier, Amalfi had no doubt that Athrun was being held against his will.

He exhaled loudly, resting against the surface of his desk, his eyes flickering to a framed picture of his wife and late son, standing with smiles on their faces in front of their home. Since he joined RENEGADE, Amalfi had separated from his wife, Romina Amalfi, who had refused to support him in the battle he was fighting in. He had no real idea where she had disappeared to, and silently, he believed that he never would. Amalfi wondered if he had reached a stage of desperation to allow himself to be consumed in his thoughts like this. Was it possible that he no longer knew for sure whether he was on the same path as his late son before him? Romina's disappearance had hit him hard, but he had firmly believed that this was the path that he needed to take to ensure that Nicol had not died in vain. But Romina didn't support him.

Was it possible that Athrun Zala knew the answer to the question he was searching for?

Amalfi straightened, rubbing his temples tiredly with his fingers. He was tired. Exhausted. Drained. Defeated. He wanted it to end. He wanted everything to end. That had been the sole reason why he had developed the N-Jammer Canceller at the end of the first war, but it wasn't enough. Hatred and war still exists.

What should he do?

Would Athrun Zala really be able to put his mind to peace?

Yes… he was desperate. He needed to know, to find out from Athrun. Whenever Nicol came home, he often talked of the kind, quiet blue-haired Coordinator. Amalfi knew that among the pilots assigned to the Creuset team, it was Athrun Zala who had been closest to his son. Maybe he just needed some reassurance, some sort of answer that he really was fighting for the right thing. Nicol had joined ZAFT for a reason and though Amalfi couldn't truly understand what that reason was, he was willing to fight to honour his son's brave memory.

He had never truly hated the Naturals before. Never. But when he received news that his son had been defeated by the amazing pilot of the Strike Gundam, belonging to the Earth Alliance, the hatred surfaced immediately and never died down since. And he owed his thanks, in a small way, to Athrun Zala, who had successfully destroyed the Strike by trapping the pilot in the mobile suit with his Aegis, self-destructing it. Athrun had killed Nicol's killer. Amalfi owed Athrun enough to at least meet him, and provide him an offer of sorts to have him by his side. He knew that he could never kill Athrun. Whether directly or indirectly, Amalfi could not kill this one Coordinator named Athrun Zala. He had risked his life in avenging the death of his son, after all.

Yuri Amalfi stood and glanced at the mirror by the side of his table. For once, he could just see sorrow in his eyes, and not the usual burning hatred he always felt towards the world. That Commander Aiten knew very well how to play his cards, but perhaps it was for the best. He couldn't let Athrun be a prisoner on the _Renegade_ forever. He would go down to Earth, to that second generation Minerva-class ship, and he would meet the avenger of his son's death.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 ZAFT Mahamul Base, Eurasian Federation – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

"Torii!"

Lacus turned, her eyebrows raised slightly as she heard the familiar call of the green mechanical bird, landing smartly on her shoulder. Pink-chan, distracted, began to bounce up and down questioningly and Torii tilted its head before taking off. Surprised, Lacus watched as Haro followed, all the while shouting to play, and a small smile crossed her lips as she watched them disappear along the corridor. It seemed as though the Archangel crew would need to bear with their ruckus yet again. She turned her eyes back to the direction Torii had flown from, relief washing over her when Kira walked towards her. Ever since Murdoch had began the repairs on the Freedom, Kira had been staying put on the Archangel and did not seem to overtire himself.

"Lacus," Kira greeted her, smiling slightly. "Are you alright? Where's Cagalli?"

"She's at the bridge," Lacus answered. "They're getting in touch with Heliopolis."

That made sense. Heliopolis was the only thing left of the once-proud nation of Orb, and Kira knew that a part of Cagalli actually wished she was up there with the small colony. But she and Kisaka needed to stay with the Archangel and the Harutsuki, entering battle with the remaining soldiers of Orb… especially now, when Athrun was still missing.

"Walk with me," Kira invited, his arm moving to circle her shoulders as he led her away. She followed, both walking quietly, yet Kira could sense Lacus throwing him the usual worried looks she had always reserved for him.

Once they reached the viewing deck of the Archangel, Kira turned, his eyes on the pink-haired songstress. "I'm going out with Shinn as soon as the Freedom is repaired," he said, noticing the surprise flickering across her face. "Now that the fighting has stopped, we can't really do anything. It's frustrating, when we still want to fight…" he trailed off, taking her soft hands in his. He had given this a long thought, and knew that it was time for him to reveal himself and show that he, too, was human and not a mere image. "I'll send humanitarian aid to the people of Eurasia… with the Freedom."

Azure eyes softened as she gazed at the brown-haired Coordinator in front of her. How he had changed since the first time she saw him when he had rescued her from her escape pod. The broken, gentle, kind Kira was still himself, but Lacus could clearly see the new strength that had developed in him since the first war, and his words struck her deep inside. Kira, she knew, no longer needed to rely on her or anyone else to continue to fight his battles. He knew what he wanted, and he knew the means that he would go through to achieve it.

"Are you sure?" Lacus asked quietly.

Kira nodded. "I am the Freedom's pilot… but I'm also Kira. It's time I stop hiding myself, Lacus. Athrun did," he said, sure of himself now. Maybe he hadn't been ready all these years. Maybe he hadn't wanted to admit to himself that he was the Freedom's pilot… but not now. Kira knew that many people supported the Freedom and the Archangel. This war that was now involving everyone would make them question their ideals. And Kira knew that he would fight to protect what he wanted to fight for.

Torii returned, almost as if it had heard Athrun's name and decided to check whether the blue-haired Coordinator had returned or not. It flapped its wings, landing squarely on Kira's head, and Kira felt the corner of his mouth tug slightly in amusement. Athrun was alive. Kira had no doubt about that. And he would continue fighting in Athrun's place until the Coordinator returned to them. Athrun would return, of that he had no doubt.

Lacus caught the pink Haro as it bounced after Torii. "Then, Kira," she said softly, her eyes on her round, mechanical friend. "Take Pink-chan with you. My father's wealth… Use it to bring peace to the people," she said quietly.

"Haro? Haro? Genki?"

Brown eyes met azure ones and Kira took the small pink ball into his hands. "I promise," he vowed.

A few hours later, Kira walked into his shared room with Shinn and Athrun, turning to the computer installed at the corner of the room. He connected Pink-chan to the system, taking in the numbers and information of the numerous accounts held by the late Siegel Clyne, and he understood. There was an unread message waiting for him from Meyrin. He had contacted her a few hours ago with a small favour, and she responded by telling him that she would try her best.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown – <strong>_**Renegade, **_**Sickbay (Present Day)**

Frustration was all Athrun felt as he tried to twist his hands and fingers into impossible angles, trying his hardest to see if he could somehow free himself from the straps holding him down onto the bed. His chest screamed at him to stop trying, his wounds threatening to reopen and his hair was already matted with sweat. Athrun clenched his teeth, the small groans escaping his lips as he tried, but it was futile. _KUSO!_

All he needed to do was to escape from the straps holding him down. That was all he needed. He knew the layout of the Minerva like the back of his hand. He knew the best routes to take, the different shafts he could open, designed for engineers, which he could go through, undetected. He knew how to get to the mobile suit hangar blindfolded. He could disappear from the Minerva-class ship like a ghost, and nobody would be able to locate where he was.

If he could only _ESCAPE_.

Athrun slumped back in defeat with a loud groan, his eyes shut tight and his breathing laboured as he tried to force the pain away. At the same time, the door to the infirmary slid open and there was a rather surprised intake of breath as someone hurried to his side. "What do you think you're _doing?_" a male voice snapped at him, somehow familiar, and Athrun forced his eyes open, breathing hard.

At first, he had almost been too surprised to answer. Eyes clouded with pain, he almost mistook the person in front of him as his old childhood friend, Kira Yamato. Athrun blinked, clearing his vision. The face was awfully familiar – a young man with reddish brown hair and black eyes. Surprised, Athrun realised that this was the pilot who had saved him after he was retrieved from the cockpit of the Justice. But that still did not make him a friend. He glared at the newcomer, angered beyond belief that they were looking down on him like this.

The newcomer sighed and sat down. "You might want to keep that scowl away, Zala. I don't want to be here as much as you do, but orders are orders and I am required to make sure that you don't pull any funny moves," he said, his voice hard.

Athrun did not stop glaring. But he couldn't help but ask; "Who are you?"

"Seorin. Seorin Kaitke. Pilot of the Apocalypse," he introduced, leaning back with his arms crossed. "Now are you going to keep that heart rate down, or am I going to need to inject tranquilisers?" he asked.

The other Coordinator couldn't help but grimace. As much as sleep appealed to him to keep the pain away, buried deep in the depths of unconsciousness, Athrun knew that he needed to stay awake. Pretty soon they would just have to release him from these straps. And when they did, he would begin his escape. And he was not going to achieve that with painkillers and sleeping injections flowing through his bloodstream. He turned his face away – it was easier to stay neutral when he wasn't looking at the members of the _Renegade_ crew.

Ken couldn't help but smile. This guy was so much different to Kira Yamato. "You could offer me your thanks, you know. I _did_ save you from possible death," he said.

Athrun glanced at him. "Were you the one who took the cockpit?"

"No. I wouldn't dream of it," Ken admitted. "If you want to thank the pilot for that deed, it would have to be Genei – Advocate's pilot. But he doesn't seem to take to you very lightly, especially when we got orders not to kill you, so I doubt that you'd have the opportunity to see him."

Athrun paused. "Thank you," he muttered.

"Not a problem," Ken answered. "I am here to give you a warning, Zala. We are currently on our way to ZAFT's Victoria base, where you will be meeting a rather special guest. Unfortunately, that means releasing you for a little while, but I'm warning you now – any funny business that you might attempt, and I won't hesitate to stick a knife behind your back," he said coldly, his black eyes narrowing. He did not like this Athrun Zala, merely because he knew how cunning the young Coordinator could be.

Athrun processed this. ZAFT's newly-captured Victoria base was located in Kenya, in Eastern Africa. If he guessed correctly, with the _Renegade_ currently stopping their battles, Kira and the Archangel would most likely still be in Kuwait, at the Mahamul base. _The Mahamul Base!_ Athrun thought, hissing when he tried to force himself upright again. What had happened in the Mahamul battle? One of the last things Athrun remembered was that ZAFT had not sent any back-up forces to join the _Renegade_ and the Earth Alliance, and it seemed as if the _Renegade_ was losing. But of course, Shinn suddenly stopped fighting for some unknown reason, and Athrun could remember very little after that. Kira… Was he alright? What about Cagalli and Lacus?

"We failed to capture the Mahamul base," a quiet voice broke through his thoughts. Surprised, Athrun turned his head, his green eyes resting on the other pilot. Ken shrugged lightly – RENEGADE had nothing particular to hide from any party, after all. "ZAFT did not send in any forces to help us with the battle, and we failed to capture it. We were ordered to return soon after your Justice exploded," he said calmly.

"I see…" Athrun trailed off, casting his eyes on the ceiling again. "What do you fight for?" he asked.

"Peace." The answer was immediate.

He frowned. "I don't understand."

Ken leaned back, focusing his eyes on the young pilot in front of him. "You might have realised that the Earth Alliance and ZAFT are still around even after both wars. Not to mention Blue Cosmos. Tell me how the world can possibly be at peace if all the time, you're still developing weapons to battle against each other?" he asked slowly.

Athrun found himself clenching his fists together. The question on how to fight war and to stop hatred had been on his mind for too many years already. Neither ZAFT, Orb or the Earth Alliance believed that the war was finally over. They all knew that they were just holding their breaths for the next attack, which admittedly happened five years after the last war despite Lacus and Cagalli trying their best. Even if RENEGADE _hadn't_ started the war between the Naturals and Coordinators, Athrun still highly doubted that they were at peace. True peace.

"What exactly are you trying to achieve?" he asked, wanting to know despite himself.

Ken shook his head. "We're trying to get everyone involved in this war, because everyone _is_ involved, Zala. You've been in Orb for too long to understand truly that a neutral nation, no matter how noble it may be, does not actually help when they refuse to give their stand on where they stand between two nations fighting wars. The war escalated due to hatred between Naturals and Coordinators. Our world, our universe, is made up of these two, so claiming yourself to be neutral is nothing short of ridiculous. You're not helping when you're neutral, not when you just stand idly and let people kill each other – especially not when your nation is made up of _both_ Naturals and Coordinators.

"RENEGADE seeks to separate the two so everyone will make their stand. Will they support? Or will they eventually realise how foolish they are, that they actually cannot separate? As long as neutral nations exist, these wars will continue. That is why we seek to eliminate neutral nations – we attack military bases so they are forced to accept that with this war, that has lasted for so many decades, is connected to them."

"But Scandinavia! And Orb! And the Equatorial Union!" Athrun cried out, the anger coming back to him now. "How can you _possibly_ justify your actions behind those attacks? The shelters, the civilians! You killed them!"

"_We_ didn't kill them," Ken answered coolly, his black eyes flashing dangerously. "The Earth Alliance and ZAFT forces that joined us are the ones who attacked and killed them."

"They were fighting for you!"

"They were fighting because they wanted to fight. RENEGADE never gave orders to attack the civilians. Military bases, yes, but not civilians. Why do you think this ship always retreats every time it's obvious the battle has been won? Why do you think we were never here when the EA and ZAFT forces began to wipe out the forces that could no longer fight?"

Athrun clenched his teeth together, his emotions making his head hurt. "You claim not to be responsible for all that?"

"I never said that," Ken argued, huffing angrily. "Listen, Zala. As it is, we are allowing the two major powers to fight this battle. The Earth Alliance and ZAFT. Naturals and Coordinators. When we get rid of those who can't make their minds up and stay silent while their own kind are blown into smithereens, the two will _have_ to make their decision. Either to separate, or to live together in harmony. In the worst case scenario, they'll try and eliminate each other, in which saving them is futile and hopeless."

"It is _not_ futile," Athrun hissed. But deep down, even he often questioned those like his father, like his father's followers, like Yuri Amalfi, like Blue Cosmos, like the Atlantic Federation… He questioned those individuals that always often made him wonder whether there was any real hope for those who truly fought for peace.

Ken's eyes softened, a small smile coming to his lips. "I don't believe humankind is that terrible," he said quietly. "I respect those like you who fight for what you believe is right. But even you have to admit that one cannot be neutral about something like this. If you truly want peace, then you need to fight for it. And I believe true fighters, believers and supporters of peace will come when this is all over," he said sincerely. "RENEGADE is here simply to discover what humanity really wants, and to what means they will go to obtain it. There is no winning and losing."

The conversation was over, and Athrun knew it. Exasperatingly, his eyes were beginning to tire, and he knew he would drift to sleep very soon. He thought of Kira, of Lacus… of Cagalli. He wanted to build a life with Cagalli… he always had. But he never dared to, not when they were surrounded by wars like this.

"What will you do next?" Athrun asked, the darkness beginning to close in around him.

Ken hesitated. "Our next target is the resistance groups in Eurasia."

He registered nothing more.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

The sound of deft fingers moving across a keyboard was barely heard above the workings of the maintenance and repairs in the mobile suit hangar of the Archangel-class ship, Archangel. Shinn's red eyes darted from one side to another as he went through the Destiny Gaia's OS, fine-tuning the calibrations, making minimal changes to the power output for his beam weapons, adjusting the strength of his Phase Shift armour and many more. He had been in the cockpit for hours, working swiftly as soon as Murdoch gave him the thumb's up and the report of the changes they had made to his Gundam.

_Maximum thrust with low energy consumption is the most important thing. Interference is high in the Earth's atmosphere, so I can afford to weaken the Phase Shift slightly. It's really different to fighting in space. But even with this, the power of the battery is still not enough for me to fight a full battle without needing to resupply with the Archangel. Kuso. At least the Aurora had the Deuterion Beam Energy Transfer System installed…_

He was engrossed in his work, his brows pulling together as he tried his best to work his hardest with the system's Operating System. Shinn was by no means a good programmer, but he got by decently enough, which was one of the reasons why he was a redcoat in ZAFT. His talents leaned more to actual battle tactics against mobile suits, which was something that his old comrade Rey Za Burrel also excelled at. In fact, it was often Rey who could spot out peculiarities in fighting styles, yet it was Shinn who could normally fight the battles. Quite often, Shinn wished that the light-haired redcoat was still with him, fighting by his side. He had not truly learned what had happened in the Neo-GENESIS, but he knew enough – he knew that Rey had shot Durandal and that Captain Gladys had stayed behind. He knew that Kira and Athrun had witnessed the event. But he knew not much more than that.

So consumed he was in the work that he was doing that he did not realise a platform being raised to the same level as his cockpit. So he was very much surprised when a brown-haired Coordinator dressed in an all-too-familiar white ZAFT uniform poked his head into the cockpit of his Gundam.

"I was told I would find you here," Kira said simply, a small smile on his lips.

"C-Commander!" Shinn cried out, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Kira shrugged, resting his back against the wall of the interior access of the cockpit. "I was told to reprimand you for not getting enough rest," he said with a small frown. "Maybe Murdoch-san believed that I need extra work with the Freedom still in repair."

Shinn couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. Truthfully, he felt awkward having Kira here. Since he was assigned to the Yamato Squadron, Shinn and Lunamaria had both been rather close to Kira – closer than they had ever been to Captain Gladys. Then again, Shinn assumed that Kira might just have that gift. He knew that all the crew members of the _Aurora_ felt the same bond with the young Commander as well. But Kira had slapped him after what had happened with the Justice, and Shinn hadn't exactly been on good terms with the Commander since… or rather, they hadn't bumped into each other to address the issue. During the last war, Athrun had sought Shinn out to smooth things out between them when they had faced a similar situation, and he was only half-surprised that Kira was doing the same thing.

He didn't like Kira being here. Not in this cockpit, not in his Gundam. His eyes flickered to the other Coordinator momentarily. "Don't you have something else to work on, _Commander_?" he asked.

A small smile tugged at Kira's lips and Shinn bit back the urge to glare at him. "Thanks, Shinn," Kira said, his voice the usual, gentle tone. Surprised, Shinn's fingers froze and he raised his eyes questioningly to his Commander. "I know you've been working on this Gundam for a while, Shinn. That only tells me that you're still willing to fight, even if you do have someone important to you that you need to fight against," he said quietly. Shinn stared. "In truth, I'd be happier if we don't need to fight at all. But it can't be helped. We're only able to do what we can when the time comes for us to act."

"Stellar was an Extended," Shinn said, surprised with himself that he was actually telling his Commander this. "The Earth Alliance made her into a human weapon. It wasn't as if she chose to fight," he said bitterly.

"I think nobody really chooses to fight," Kira answered quietly. "But that's why it's important for us to know what we need to do."

Shinn sighed. It wasn't as if he didn't know all these things. But it was quite nice to have someone to talk to, all the same. In a way, Kira reminded him a lot of Rey. "I want to try and talk to her if possible," he admitted.

"Then do it. As long as you still haven't lost sight of what you're fighting for, then you shouldn't worry," Kira said easily, turning to exit the cockpit again.

"Commander," Shinn called. Kira paused. "If someone attacks us… then it's only reasonable that we fight back, right?"

There was a long silence following his question, and Shinn wondered what Kira was thinking of. The usually calm amethyst eyes looked grave, and there was an undeniable regret in the depths of those orbs. Eventually, Kira turned, resting his eyes on the other pilot. "There are many ways to fight," he said, his voice so soft that Shinn thought he had imagined it. Then, the light smile was back on the brown-haired Coordinator's lips. "You might want to try and adjust the energy output of the thrusters for both forms. A mobile armour is more streamlined than a mobile suit, so thrust should be less. If you direct the power to the assault cannon, the efficiency will be raised, yet power consumption should still be stable. Set the cannon on auto-target using the heat signatures of the Gundams," he suggested, moving back onto the platform. Shinn, shocked beyond belief, could only stare at the open cockpit. Kira's voice reached him a final time before he descended to the ground; "The Freedom should be done in three hours. I expect you to be ready by then."

It took him a few more hours to finally finish tuning up the Destiny Gaia's OS, and by the time Shinn had finished, the combat status of the Gundam in its mobile armour form had increased to just over ninety percent – something that Shinn had acknowledged grudgingly even though the tweaks he did _had_ brought out much better potential of better battle outcome for the future. His foot touched the ground of the Archangel hangar and he exhaled slowly.

"Are you ready?" Kira's voice made him turn. He was surprised to find the brown-haired Coordinator dressed in plain clothes, wearing the same black jacket he had worn when he returned to the Archangel from Mendel those few months ago. Lacus was behind him, a small but knowing smile on her lips.

"What's going on?" Shinn asked, perplexed.

"Get changed. There's no need for military uniform for what we're going to do," Kira answered, not even answering his question.

He wanted to argue, of course, but Shinn had to admit that he did feel rather intrigued. His curiosity was pulled in, much to his dismay, and followed orders accordingly. By the time he returned to the hangar, Kira was standing by the foot of his Freedom, talking to Murdoch and pointing to several locations on his Gundam. Sensing Shinn's arrival, Kira turned, his face immediately breaking into a smile. "You're back. Let's go, we don't want to be late," he said, grasping the lever of his mobile suit to climb into the cockpit.

Murdoch walked over to Shinn, rubbing his hand at the back of his head. When it came to Kira and the Archangel crew members, the senior technician was always having headaches. "I think leaving you with the beam sabers and a beam rifle should be enough. We've taken down the rest. Jeez. That kid is only taking his beam sabers and Armour Schneiders. I thought that pink princess would have said something, but she's as guilty as he is!" he ranted, walking away while still muttering silent curses. It was then that Shinn realised what was strange about the Freedom – most of its armaments had been taken down.

"O-Oy!" Shinn called, but Murdoch, in his headache, did not seem to hear.

"_Kuso_! What does he think he's doing?" Shinn cursed aloud, immediately running to his Destiny. Like Kira, he hadn't bothered dressing up in a pilot suit. He strapped himself in and immediately activated the mobile suit, punching the codes so Kira's face was presented on the left screen of the Gundam interface.

**GENERATION UNRESTRICTED NETWORK DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

**G.U.N.D.A.M ZAFT**

"Commander, what is this?" he asked as the Freedom was connected to the catapult.

"_Sorry, Shinn. There are some things we need to do,_" Kira said with a small smile.

"_I'm not worried that you're going, but take care all the same,_" Waltfeld's voice greeted them from Miriallia's CIC station. "_Freedom, please launch."_

"_Yes! Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"_

He was blind. Completely blind. On a blind mission, with minimal weapons, with a strange Commander. Shinn cried out in frustration. "Shinn Asuka. Destiny. Launching!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Iran (Present Day)<strong>

Nearly a century had passed since Planet Earth had ran out of their petroleum resources, and during those dark times, the condition of the Earth, along with the effects of pollution and global warming, had worsened. It was in these dark times that the first Coordinator, George Glenn, had been born. Seventy years ago, major powers emerged such as the Atlantic Federation, the Eurasian Federation and the Republic of East Asia, all to try and tackle the growing problems of resources in order to survive, but when the truth of George Glenn's origins were revealed in C.E 15, the world was thrown into chaos. Though modifications of genes were not allowed, quite a number of wealthy families still turn their children into Coordinators. Among these were Siegel Clyne, born secretly in the Kingdom of Scandinavia, and Patrick Zala, born in the Atlantic Federation. The restriction was lifted in C.E 30, and by C.E 45, the estimated number of Coordinators making the world's population was ten million. Tensions escalated, fights broke out, and the Natural and Coordinator conflict began.

After thirty-five years of conflict and battles (with the last ten years filled with official wars and killings), it was evident that the previous worries about energy crisis had depleted. Though most countries on Earth ran under nuclear power under their own major powers, it was evident that the country's well-being was nowhere near as advanced as their military advancements. The Middle East, holding a record of always being underprivileged even before the adoption of the Cosmic Era calendar, especially when their oil treasures had been exploited and later used up, was even more badly affected when the world decided that conflict between Naturals and Coordinators was more important than developing their world.

Quite unlike the Atlantic Federation, the Eurasian Federation does not have as many Earth Alliance bases, and most of the people of Eurasia began to form resistance groups against war itself, especially after the second war. The sights of mobile suits and battles were common for those in Eurasia, their lands always chosen as the perfect battlefield, and they suffered. Perhaps it was due to this that they were able to identify the blue, white and gold mobile suit as the Freedom when it landed in their territory, the twenty-metre machine standing proud and tall. Mobile suits were horrifying things, but the people in Eurasia had held their faith to the Freedom especially after the second war. So when the famous mobile suit landed, they suddenly found themselves curious and apprehensive as to why it had made their appearance, especially when another mobile suit, a black and gold Gundam, landed beside it.

The two mobile suits were quite different in the sense that both did not seem particularly armed. Instead, in the arms of the two mobile suits were heavy crates which they set down very carefully, then crouching forward so it was easier to transport themselves down.

As Shinn climbed out of the Destiny's cockpit, he glanced at his Commander who was already touching down from the Freedom beside him. He had worked out what they were doing when they arrived in Saudi Arabia, making high amounts of purchases and donations which, with Kira being a high-ranking Commander and Lacus being… well, Lacus… Shinn wasn't surprised to see that money was of no issue to them. Resources were something that was never enough to any country no matter how advanced it was, and that was what they were providing.

A form of humanitarian aid with no weapons whatsoever.

From the basics of food and clothing, to items like cement, tools, pencils and crayons.

A man stepped forward from the group, his brown eyes shining as he took in the pilot of the legendary Freedom Gundam. He exchanged a few words with Kira, both using their hands when it was apparent that there were language barriers that could not be resolved with a common lingua franca, and Kira began to unload the crates that they had set down. The man turned, his arms spread wide, speaking quickly and happily and a number of men rushed forwards at once to help, all the while shaking their hands, patting their backs, crying out "Syukran Jazilan! Syukran!" as a sign of thanks.

It was an emotional moment to Shinn, who had always wanted to help anyone where he could, even during the second war. He watched the happy faces of the families and watched how smiles were exchanged between them with such a small token of help.

A child, no more than twelve years old, walked over to Kira, his eyes accusing and untrusting. Kira raised his eyebrows as he regarded the boy, and Shinn saw the boy clenching his fists. "You Coordinator? Natural?" the boy asked.

Kira stared at the boy. Then, with a gentle smile that reminded Shinn of Lacus, he crouched down in front of the boy and gave him a book. "I am Kira Yamato," he said simply.

And immediately, Shinn understood what Kira meant when he said there were many ways to fight.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 ZAFT Victoria Base – <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Three Days Later)**

"I'm warning you one last time, Zala. You better not pull any stupid stunts on me," Ken said gravely as he walked over to the blue-haired Coordinator. Athrun narrowed his eyes at the brown-haired Coordinator and turned his face away, signalling defiance. Forget them, if there was a smallest chance of escaping, Athrun was going to take it. Ken sighed loudly and took out a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. Hikari standing a few paces away from the bed, raised her gun and pointed it at Athrun's head, her eyes watchful and wary as she regarded the injured pilot. "I might be a little kind, but don't expect Aya not to put a bullet in your head if she thinks you're up to something."

Athrun had to admit, despite not knowing who exactly he was going to meet, he _did_ feel rather grateful that he was finally going to be able to sit up. Ken and Hikari had both argued that he should remain strapped down, but somehow, he had gotten the approval of the Commander – a peculiar silver-haired Coordinator who wore a half-mask that reminded Athrun of the late Rau Le Creuset. He had only seen the Coordinator for a few minutes, popping inside to look over Athrun before finally deciding that for this meeting with the unknown person, he would be allowed to sit, as long as he was securely handcuffed. Athrun was truly sick of lying down all the time, and he welcomed this strange meeting.

He bit down on his tongue as Ken unlocked the straps holding him down and helped him to sit, his body protesting against the move. So surprised he was by the pain that he hadn't noticed Ken pulling his arms behind him, securing the handcuffs. The Coordinator moved extremely fast, and Athrun cursed silently to himself – he could escape just fine, but without another person's help, it would be difficult to escape from the _Renegade_. He would just have to bear with it a while longer.

The door slid open, and the masked Commander entered, turning his face to the three. "Is he ready?" he asked tonelessly.

Ken tugged on the handcuffs and Athrun clamped his teeth down once again. "He's secured."

"Good. You two may leave now," the Commander dismissed.

Clearly, the two hadn't expected that. Ken jumped to his feet immediately. _"What? _Commander, we can't leave him all alone like this!"

"I'm aware of that, Seorin," Daisuke answered wearily. "The orders didn't come from me. Keep guard outside – you too, Aya. It's not as if I wanted him unguarded in here myself," he said, his emotionless, masked eyes trained on Athrun.

There was a brief silence as the two contemplated on disobeying. But the orders were clear, and Athrun guessed that whoever had issued it, the person must hold quite a reasonable amount of power over the ship. The two Coordinators sighed, and with a final warning glare to Athrun, Ken followed Hikari out of the room. As they exited the infirmary, Daisuke kept his eyes on Athrun. In truth, he admired young people like Athrun, who would willingly risk their lives rather than be used by those around them – but making sure they didn't attempt anything risky and suicidal was difficult, and he was distrustful of the blue-haired Coordinator.

"What the hell do you think you're _doing_?" Athrun asked hotly once they were alone.

Daisuke arched his eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"All this! Why are you doing this? Disrupting the peace we have, inflicting hatred again! Don't you think the world has had enough already?" Athrun half-shouted, his green eyes burning with anger to the Commander of the _Renegade_. Despite his talk with Ken three days ago, he still would never agree that RENEGADE's way of obtaining peace was right, no matter how justified they seemed to be.

The masked man stared, and Athrun wished he could see his eyes. "There was never peace to begin with," Daisuke said bitterly, surprising the other Coordinator. Perhaps all of those on the ship believed in the same thing Ken had told him earlier.

The door slid open and Athrun's attention was taken by the man who stepped inside. His eyes widened, the breath nearly escaping his lips as he instantly recognised the person before him. "A-Amalfi-san?" Athrun cried out, the surprise very quickly turning into pure anger. "What is this? Why are you _doing_ this? After all that Nicol has fought for –"

"Please leave us, Commander Aiten," Amalfi said, his eyes not even glancing to the masked Coordinator. Daisuke hesitated. "It's an order."

He didn't like being ordered around, especially when Daisuke didn't take orders from Yuri Amalfi for RENEGADE – in fact, it was the other way around. But he had called Amalfi here for a reason, and he supposed that if the Coordinator wanted some time alone with Athrun by himself, then there should be no reason to protest. He turned, leaving the two alone, and as soon as the door slid shut behind him, Amalfi turned back to Athrun.

"You mentioned Nicol," he said shortly.

"He fought and died to protect PLANTs. He didn't know how to fight, he didn't like to kill! But he still fought, and you started the war again!" Athrun shouted, barely able to contain himself from launching at the other man.

"Is that really what you believe..?" Amalfi asked quietly. Athrun glared, but he said nothing. The other Coordinator sighed. "It's true that Nicol fought for PLANTs. But he fought for the Coordinators. He wants us Coordinators to live peacefully and happily. But the Naturals were always getting ready to attack us, Athrun. I couldn't wait for it to happen before I take action."

"You're wrong. We had five years of peace. Lacus tried her best to maintain the peace. So did Cagalli."

"War was about to start."

"_You_ started it," Athrun spat. "Even if they were about to start, why did you attack the civilians? Those battles in Scandinavia, in Orb! The people there try to live peacefully between Naturals and Coordinators. They weren't oblivious. It wasn't as if they didn't care. They just didn't want to fight. If you really want to protect the Coordinators, _is this truly the right way to do it_?" Athrun cried out angrily. Amalfi clenched his hands tight, his bronze eyes looking down on the handcuffed Coordinator in front of him. "To kill those who have the potential of hurting Coordinators… To act before they act, because it's possible it might happen… _Are you sure that's the right way of obtaining peace_?"

"Then what do you suggest?" Amalfi shot back, silencing Athrun. "With ZAFT and the Earth Alliance constantly getting ready for war, what do you suggest we do? A person without followers and power is nothing. They cannot achieve anything, just like Lacus Clyne. The soldiers of ZAFT were willing to follow me again quite easily, and therefore, I had the power. Clyne didn't."

"Lacus was trying her best, and she managed to refrain war from happening!"

"She was endangering us!"

"_Do you think Nicol would come back if you wipe out all the Naturals?"_ Athrun bellowed. Shocked, Amalfi stepped back, his eyes wide as he regarded the other Coordinator.

"What are you saying?" Amalfi asked quietly, his eyes hard. "_You_ were the one who destroyed the Strike. You avenged Nicol's death. What justification do you have for that?"

Athrun clenched his teeth together as the memory of the battle with Kira was played across his mind, for the umpteenth time since the first war. It was played in his mind every day, every time he faced Kira. He would feel that jolt in his chest, the undeniable amount of _regret_ for what he had done and for what could have happened. "I destroyed the Strike," Athrun admitted, his voice tired now. "Trying to kill that pilot is the one thing I truly regret the most during that war. Nicol was gone. And I kept on killing – it wouldn't bring him back. To kill because he killed… and then get killed because he killed… Do you think war will honestly end that way?"

"Then what do you propose we do to stop it?"

Athrun shook his head. "I don't know. But fighting is not the way. Right now, the Archangel is trying their hardest to fight without killing and achieve peace again. But it cannot be achieved by killing," he said softly, turning his face away. "Tell me, Amalfi-san… Do you feel liberated when you killed all those Naturals? Or have you finally discovered that with each battle, you're forgetting Nicol less and less?" he asked.

It was painful. The feeling he felt as Athrun spoke those words were truly painful, and he felt his breath escaping his lips, the presence of Nicol's picture in his chest pocket now feeling extremely heavy. So… Athrun believed that he wasn't fighting Nicol's battle, too. But Amalfi couldn't leave the neutral nations alone. It was as the Commander of the _Renegade_ had said when he first approached him those years before, how the constant battle against Naturals and Coordinators ending in stalemates wouldn't improve the conditions at all. Not when there were neutral nations that wouldn't fight for their peace… Peace that deserved to be felt by all…

"Join me, Athrun," he said finally, his voice defeated. Athrun turned his face away. "I'm sure Nicol wanted peace when he fought, just as how you and I want it. Fight with me, and I'll release you," he said.

A small smile crept up Athrun's lips as he shook his head. "Sorry, Amalfi-san. I can't. I'd be betraying the memory of your son if I fight alongside you. I will fight for peace. But not in the way you are doing. Not by wiping out all the Naturals and neutral nations," he said, raising his eyes one last time to the Chairman of ZAFT. "If possible, let me return to the Archangel."

.

"He's a headstrong person, under that quiet mask," Daisuke remarked, his masked eyes trained on the Coordinator in front of him. Yuri Amalfi said nothing, but Daisuke could just see him give a small nod at his statement. They were in Daisuke's study in the _Renegade_. As soon as Amalfi emerged from the infirmary, carrying the air of a broken man, Daisuke had guessed what had happened and he wasn't at all surprised. Ken ran into the room instantly to secure Athrun back onto the bed, but he had followed the old Chairman to his study and watched as, for two hours, Amalfi lost himself in his thoughts.

"…I'm very disappointed he couldn't see my views. The same views of his late father, Patrick Zala," Amalfi said quietly, sighing deeply. "Peace will never come when we are unwilling to disarm."

"What will you do?" Daisuke asked, his voice firm and emotionless. "You do know that since you failed to offer support for the Mahamul attack, the Atlantic Federation had been very restless. Ryuu Apene –"

His words were broken off as Amalfi laughed harshly. "Ryuu Apene. You see, Commander Aiten, people like Ryuu Apene and the Atlantic Federation is precisely the reason why I _cannot_ back down from this fight. Athrun's intentions and goals are noble, but they are not realistic. Peace is impossible for us. So I will continue fighting for separation between Naturals and Coordinators," he said coolly. _And once their forces are wiped out, if they still persist, I must eliminate them… I cannot allow more young soldiers like Nicol to die…_ He raised his eyes to the masked Commander. "I will order an attack on the lunar base. I heard that base has been resisting, and I will not ask for support from the Earth Alliance. It is only fair," he said, turning to the computer beside him.

With a quick finger, the machine activated itself and Amalfi took out a compact disk from his pocket, inserting it. Piano music filled the room and he inhaled deeply, almost as if indulging in his favourite drug… which, in a way, he was. "My son's," he said shortly to Daisuke, who made no reaction to his words. The screen flickered and the specifications of a mobile suit appeared on the screen. Now that got Daisuke's attention. "I will give this mobile suit to Athrun."

Daisuke arched an eyebrow. "He made it clear he did not want to join either RENEGADE or ZAFT," he said pointedly.

Amalfi nodded slowly. "I know. The boy is fighting for Nicol's memory, and I must help him by directing him onto the right path. He wouldn't be able to fight in his current condition, but I also cannot leave him to be imprisoned on your ship, Commander," Amalfi said, turning back to Daisuke. His next words sent a chill to Daisuke's heart; "It's time the _Renegade_ head to Phaedra's Base."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – <strong>_**Aurora**_

GENESIS ZERO? _GENESIS ZERO_?

Yzak felt as if he was about to explode from rage as he viewed the specifications of the killer weapon displayed on his computer screen. The weapon was enormous, built and improved from the previous GENESIS and Neo-GENESIS. Meyrin had finally managed to hack into ZAFT's system, but there was only one catch: the location was unknown. The silly, gigantic gamma ray emissor's location was unknown. Yzak jumped to his feet, slamming his fists onto the table and could barely hear it cracking slightly from the impact. "_KUSOOOOOOOOOOO!_"

"Calm down, Yzak…" Dearka said quietly, though it was plain that the words meant nothing to him, too. Yzak's head snapped up, his ice-cold blue eyes glaring at the blonde Coordinator as he clenched his teeth together. He was barely aware of Shiho and Laniel's presence in Kira's office in the _Aurora_. Laniel's eyes were hard. For once, the usually-light-hearted Captain was serious.

"We can't let them fire that thing! And the only way to do that is if we know where the damn thing is!" Yzak snapped, exasperated.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> A rather short chapter this time, but I had to deliver _something_ to my dearest readers. Life has been hectic since the semester began. I feel as if I'm needed everywhere. Studies, meetings, camps, faculty activities, club festivals, sports to enter, articles to write, scholarships to apply for and settle… Not to mention getting involved in a minor accident two days ago with the motorbike that has now left me bruised and sore (thankfully nothing more serious, as it was raining and the roads were very slippery). Man, it's amazing I could finish writing this chapter at all. Next chapter should be up around 30th September!

After much planning, I discovered that should I follow through and not come up with much more ideas, there will be a total of around twenty-five phases for this story. So with the end of this chapter, we have reached half-way. :D I thank AngelicFox12, LuckyXIII and San_017 for your reviews for the previous chapter, as well as those who favourite-d and read the fic! Drop a review? :D

* * *

><p><strong>AngelicFox12:<strong> Actually, now that you pointed it out, Athrun _does_ always seem to have quite the bad luck to him in GS/D. Unfortunately, things will just continue and get worse from him from here onwards. XD I kinda feel sorry for him. Many thanks for the review! I think we can all feel the final battle beginning to loom over our heads.

**LuckyXIII:** Thanks for reading and reviewing! I have to say, that was one big compliment you paid to this story, and I really appreciate it. Thank you very much. :D I've edited the mistake regarding the Neo-GENESIS, thanks so much for pointing it out to me. I hope you'll stick to this fic until the end!

**San_017:** The extra-curricular activities I join actually take more of my time than my assignments and courseworks do, amazingly. But it's only just the second week, and I'm sure by mid-semester, I'd be neck-deep in papers and frustration. XD But worry not! I aim to complete this fic by November, latest. Hope to see updates coming from your side, too! In any case, I didn't like the fact that Athrun was kidnapped myself. But it's only now that I realise it was actually a necessity to the story.


	16. PHASE 15: An Extended Coordinator

**PHASE FIFTEEN: An Extended Coordinator**

**C.E 79 Location Unknown – **_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

Exhaustion. That was the emotion that weighed Athrun down as he felt the momentum of the ship moving to an unknown destination. His green eyes were glazed, and he stared at the ceiling above him, releasing a small sigh. The conversation he had with Yuri Amalfi had taken a lot out of him, and his thoughts constantly went to one particular green-haired Coordinator, who had died trying to protect him during the first war. Back then, he had felt so angry about Nicol's death, enough to drive him to want to kill Kira, merely because he, Athrun Zala, had been responsible for what had happened. If Nicol hadn't run towards him, hadn't found himself taking the thrust of the Strike's swing, then he could possibly still be… alive.

He knew he had said the right thing to Yuri Amalfi. Athrun rejected the belief that Nicol would have supported RENEGADE if he was still alive, right here and right now. Nicol had been one who loved peace, just as much as Athrun did, and Athrun knew that the green-haired Coordinator would fight for the peace of the world and not just the peace for Coordinators. Just like Athrun. Like Cagalli. Like Lacus. Like Yzak and Dearka. Like Kira.

Amalfi was hurting. Athrun knew that. It doesn't take a genius or even a Coordinator to be able to see that the man had never been able to accept the death of his gentle son. As long as that hatred still exists, there would be no chance of them fighting the same battle. _No…_ Athrun thought, shaking his head slightly, _It's impossible as long as he allows the hatred to fuel him…_ That was the more logical explanation. As long as Amalfi allowed his grief and hatred to consume him, he would continue to fight for what he believed was 'right'. Athrun knew the feeling well. He hadn't thought twice of enlisting in ZAFT after his kind, loveable mother had died in Junius Seven. Lenore Zala had never truly believed in the difference between Naturals and Coordinators. To Lenore, Naturals and Coordinators were the same, in the sense that they both shared emotions, feelings, experiences, histories, past and future… No matter what modifications humans had done to Coordinators, they hadn't modified the emotions that could not be explained with a bunch of genes.

To Lenore, that was enough to see Naturals and Coordinators as the same being.

After Junius Seven, Athrun had forgotten that. All he felt at that young age was pure hatred towards the Naturals who had released their nuclear weapons. It only took him a week to enlist in ZAFT's Military Academy, along with Yzak Joule, graduating after seven months of training and then assigned to the Creuset Team. He hadn't thought of the weapons ZAFT had fired, the viruses they presumably had spread, the killings _they_ had committed. In truth, he never fully understood what he had been doing until he met Kira on the battlefield five months after graduation… Meeting Kira, who had been fighting for his friends while still remaining independent from the Earth Alliance. But the hatred still burned, even then, and he pulled the trigger on his best friend.

What truly turned him around had been his meeting with Cagalli shortly after his promotion and formation of the Zala Team. Being stuck on that island, he had attacked Cagalli, mistaking her gender, only to stop short when he realised that she was a girl. Despite his training, despite knowing that he must have killed female pilots beforehand in previous battles, he had been unable to take her life away when she was so defenceless against him. So he released her, and they spent the night together, but he had underestimated her. She wasn't with the Earth Alliance, but she still cared for those on Earth. Despite being such a helpless girl, a powerless Natural, she still took his gun and cried when she tried to justify her actions.

Athrun had no doubt that if she _had_ released the trigger on him, he still might not have been able to kill her with his blade. For the simple reason that she had been crying. He had seen it, so clearly in the depths of her eyes, how much she refused to kill him, but she needed to due to what he was: a ZAFT pilot who had killed too many people. It had shocked him even then, how he had been able to see Kira in her when she cried. Kira's pain, his refusal to fight and become his enemy, had been so glaringly obvious as it had been with Cagalli that night in the cave. After they discovered that Kira and Cagalli were twins, Athrun had thought things over and realised that he wasn't actually surprised with the discovery. But he had still been angry. Angry for his mother, angry for Junius Seven, angry for the war that made him an enemy to Kira and Cagalli. The anger disappeared as soon as he destroyed the Strike, and was made even worse when, for the second time, he had made Cagalli cry. He had made a person who never wanted to be his enemy cry because he had killed someone dear to her. She had had the chance to kill him, but she didn't. Twice. He had had the chance of not killing Kira, but at the time, he didn't take it.

Lacus's betrayal was the final straw. She was his fiancée, a person he truly did love and care for, even now, though back then, he had only began to realise that his affections had changed when he met Cagalli again. He had realised his mistake then, how he had been fuelling the war and was not even a step closer to ending it. He joined Kira, and he felt at peace for what he had fought for.

In his opinion, he probably wouldn't have joined the second war if the Junius Seven incident had never happened. Trapped on the _Minerva_, Athrun had been determined never again to pilot a mobile suit, but when Junius Seven changed its course to head to Earth, he couldn't stand and do nothing. But he had been truly shocked when he realised that those responsible for the attack were true followers of his late father, Chairman Zala. The reality of what he was doing (or rather, what he hadn't been doing), was almost unbearable at that time. He was Athrun Zala, son of Patrick Zala. After the second war, he had gone into hiding, had been unable to wear his own name in public and was known as Alex Dino. He had constantly been weighed down by what his father did. Yzak and Dearka both returned to ZAFT to make a difference and fight for peace, but what did he do? Nothing. He should have returned to PLANTs. As the son of Patrick Zala, he should have restored peace and do what his father never attempted to do: find a way for Coordinators to throw away their hatred towards the Naturals. But he didn't. And when he discovered that the fighters in Junius Seven were still doing so in honour of his father, he felt the burden of the responsibility he never wanted to take, but should have.

He had fought, under Gilbert Durandal, once again believing that he was doing what was right. He had reprimanded soldiers who fought fuelled with hatred, like Shinn had been back then, but he was only staining his hands once again. But at that time, Athrun, without his knowledge, had been used. He had fought believing that it was the right path to achieve peace, to take the responsibility and burden of being Patrick Zala's son, but he had been wrong. He was used, and he turned back to Kira after the discovery. He realised at that time that he could no longer afford to stay invisible, not if he wanted change. He fought until the end of the second war, and much to the surprise of the ZAFT soldiers, had joined Orb's military to truly show his stand – that Athrun Zala, son of Patrick Zala, fought for neutrality and peace between Naturals and Coordinators and nothing else.

Now, he was fighting again. In the memory of his mother, with the strength and determination of his father, he was fighting for the true path for the safety and peace of Coordinators.

Athrun had been through too much to know that Amalfi's plan would never work. Hatred would never give way to peace.

He sighed deeply, closing his eyes. His wrists were sore, as was his whole body, after struggling against the straps for so long. He wouldn't allow himself to be defeated like this. Never. Not when he finally knew how to fight for what he wanted. He would have his chance to escape, and he would take it.

He opened his eyes, his gaze immediately on the door of the _Renegade_'s sickbay as it slid open. A young woman stepped inside and looked around, her eyes meeting his. A small intake of breath escaped Athrun's lips as his eyes met the pink-ish violet ones of the newcomer. _This girl..!_ Athrun thought, his eyes wide. She had been on the _Minerva_ during the previous war. An Earth Alliance Extended… He remembered now. Shinn had rescued her, and from a strange twist of fate, had discovered that she was the pilot of the Gaia Gundam, later the pilot of the Destroy. What was her name..? "Stellar," Athrun said quietly, remembering now.

Unsurprisingly, she had matured a lot since the last war. She was prettier, her face more angular than round, and her light blonde hair was longer, a little past her shoulders. She stopped in her tracks, an eyebrow arched curiously. Understanding came into her eyes and she relaxed. "You're Athrun Zala," she said easily. "You were aboard the _Minerva_. I'm not Stellar. My name is Liesel," she said, her voice cool but not angered. "Where's Sensei?"

Athrun shook his head, a sign that he had no idea. He stared at the girl, his eyes searching her curiously. No matter how he looked at her, she was the same pilot, even if she did have a different name. But Stellar had died… And Shinn, Athrun knew, had grieved terribly over her death. _I see... So that was what had happened..._

"You're an Extended," the conclusion came to him instantly, and he clenched his teeth with anger upon the realisation. "So the Earth Alliance are still developing those," Athrun said, disgusted with himself at how he seemed to be portraying her as something other than human.

Liesel shrugged and walked over to the other side of the sickbay, sitting down near the Sensei's chair. "I'm a third-stage Extended. Stellar was second-stage. I was developed from her," she informed.

"Then why are you with RENEGADE?" Athrun asked curiously. "What do you gain from all this fighting?"

"I gain nothing. I'm a weapon designed to kill, it's as simple as that."

"You have the right to choose," Athrun amended quietly.

Liesel stared at him. "I think you still don't get it. I'm a _weapon_. I'm not human. I was assigned to the RENEGADE, and so, here I am. I am no different to that Gundam you pilot."

The blue-haired Coordinator shook his head. "A Gundam is useless when it's not powered. Are you saying that you are too, should this war end?"

"Yes." He shook his head, incredulous. Liesel huffed angrily. "I have a conscience. I follow orders. We were ordered not to attack you, and we obey. It's like you putting commands to your Gundam to kill. I don't feel, neither do I care," she hissed. Liesel wasn't happy. She had come to the sickbay to have a check on her wounds as well as to restore her back to full fighting potential, but she was faced with this silly Coordinator instead.

His next and final words before turning away and closing his eyes surprised her: "I guess you're not Stellar after all."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – <strong>_**Aurora**_** (Present Day)**

"Really! It's so tiring!" A female voice sighed loudly in the _Aurora_'s cafeteria, her body slumping forward to rest against the table, now cleared after they had finished eating. Yolan Kent and Vino Dupre, both technicians under the Yamato squadron, exchanged glances with each other before turning their eyes on the pale-haired greencoat in front of them. "It's a good thing I can run away and eat for a while. The General asks me to know everything! Even Commander Yamato gives orders from Earth!" Meyrin complained, burying her face into the surface of the table.

Vino laughed lightly, rubbing the back of his head. "Cheer up, Meyrin. Pretty soon, he's bound to give you a new uniform for all this hard work!" he said enthusiastically.

Meyrin raised her head, her eyes glaring daggers at the other Coordinator. "We're not even a part of ZAFT!" she pointed out, pouting. "Maybe we'll never be ZAFT soldiers again. I'll never catch up to Sis at this rate," she moaned.

"Well, technically, that also means you don't need to take orders from General Joule and Commander Yamato," Yolan said pointedly.

Meyrin considered that, realised it was useless, and dropped her head to the table again, sighing loudly. "I wish Sis is here," she said, missing Lunamaria dearly.

"You have us!" Vino interjected.

"But you can't come to the Bridge, and I'm always alone doing work. It's no fun," Meyrin grumbled.

Vino couldn't help but laugh. Meyrin, when in a bad mood, seemed as if nothing at all was possible to lighten her spirits. But the young technician wasn't worried. He was particularly close to Meyrin and knew that the pale-haired Coordinator wouldn't be depressed for long. It was no secret that Meyrin loved computers, and Vino was sure that somewhere, deep in the depths of her heart beyond all the complaints, Meyrin was actually enjoying hacking into the world's secrets. Just to humour her, Vino patted her on the head sympathetically and a small chuckle joined them, surprising all three in the cafeteria.

Standing by the door of the cafeteria was the _Aurora_'s Captain, Laniel Ghens, dressed in the formal black ZAFT uniform. His eyes were twinkling, always so light-hearted, and he raised an eyebrow as his three subordinates stood and saluted him in respect. He saluted and waved them off before moving to join them at the table. As the commanding officers of the _Aurora_, neither Laniel nor Kira had ever regarded or treated themselves as the Commander and Captain of the _Aurora_ crew. If anything, they regarded their subordinates as comrades of the same position, though at times of need, they would lead them to the right path as those in charge of the ship.

Laniel placed a small hand on Meyrin's shoulder, smiling pleasantly at her. "I'm sorry you needed to work so hard, Meyrin. Even I can't ask General Joule to give you a break. Unfortunately, _I_ need to follow _his_ orders," he said lightly, though there was the obvious sympathy in his eyes.

Meyrin blushed furiously. "N-Not at all, Captain! But… Why is General Joule so worried about everything?"

The Captain shook his head. "He's been in more battles than us, so I presume he has his suspicions on what might happen next. It's actually a rather good thing that he seems to be so cautious about everything. I think his visit to PLANTs had revealed something to him… though what that thing is, I cannot say for sure. In any case, I _am_ sorry that you're being pushed to do so much work. You'll definitely be rewarded if we get the chance to join ZAFT again," he promised.

The red-haired Coordinator pursed her lips slightly. "Actually, I don't think I want to join ZAFT again after this war," she said quietly. She'd forever be a greencoat, what was the point?

Laniel raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure? Why not?"

"I don't know," Meyrin shrugged. "I don't like battles, and I don't like war. I love the _Aurora_… I'm glad you and Commander Yamato are our commanding officers," Meyrin said truthfully, the colour of her cheeks almost the same as her hair by now. "But I think I want to do something else after this, apart from being a soldier. I want to do something with computers."

The corners of Laniel's mouth twitched and he shook his head, managing a small smile. "I guess it can't be helped, but it would be a real loss to ZAFT if they lose you, Meyrin. And to both of you as well," he said, nodding to Vino and Yolan. "But even so, it's not as if we're real die-hard ZAFT soldiers as it is," he pointed out. "I serve those who can attain peace, and it just so happens that right now, Lacus-sama is that person. I still have faith in her and I'll keep on fighting under her, as a member of the Clyne Faction. All of you are welcome to join us after this war should you want to serve if this happens again," he said sincerely.

"I'd join," Vino said immediately. Meyrin arched an eyebrow and his cheeks turned red. "N-n-not because it's Lacus-sama, of course," he pressed, though it was obvious that his words did not match his intentions. Meyrin rolled her eyes with a small sigh. Even now, Lacus still has many fans and loyal followers. Meyrin herself had become rather close friends with Lacus since the previous war and had always enjoyed the company of the soft-spoken Coordinator. But what she had to admit was that she missed her singing. Since the end of the first war, since the death of Siegel Clyne and being labelled as a traitor to ZAFT and PLANTs, Lacus had stopped singing in public. Meyrin truly missed hearing her voice on the radio, to watch her singing on television and to see her posters around PLANTs. She wondered if Lacus would sing again one day.

_Commander Yamato did contact me a few days ago with a request… I wonder what it was for, _Meyrin thought, shaking her head. "I'll definitely join the Clyne Faction," she said determinedly. "Even if it means fighting again, I'll do it for peace."

"Then I'm truly proud to have all of you as my subordinates," Laniel answered, standing up. "Come on, Meyrin. As much as I wish for you to have a longer break, we don't really want the General's temper to snap, do we?" he asked humorously, his lips twitching as he stopped himself from chuckling.

Meyrin unwillingly rose to her feet, along with Vino and Yolan who saluted Laniel. "I guess you're right," she sighed, trying to hide her disappointment. She did not mind the work itself – she just felt very lonely on the _Aurora_'s bridge. She missed her sister, she missed Shinn. She missed Kira.

Reservedly, Meyrin followed Laniel back to the _Aurora_'s bridge. It was empty, save for the enemy search and detection station and the communications operator. The greencoats stood and saluted the Captain before returning to their stations. Laniel took his seat on the _Aurora_ and Meyrin sat down on her seat, manning the communications controller station. She put on her headpiece and began to type, reading over the reports and data that told her that once again, she had failed in hacking into ZAFT's GENESIS ZERO database. Meyrin pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing and she flexed her fingers, a new sort of determination coming to her. Just wait, they wouldn't be able to hold her off for much longer! She'd show ZAFT what she was capable of, and they'd probably regret that they never made her a redcoat like Lunamaria and Shinn.

Meyrin had joined ZAFT at the same time as her sister, though she had never wanted to become a pilot. Her passion had always been with computers, and thus had entered a different sort of training to what her sister had. Instead of having the ability to pilot a mobile suit, Meyrin was capable of handling numerous stations on ZAFT battleships, bases and military stations. Her talents shone where she could handle different types of stations, but it was nowhere as impressive as being able to pilot a mobile suit. Lunamaria had always loved MS technology and was always curious in learning about the new weapons and technology installed on new mobile suits. Her curiosity and her eagerness to learn, as well as her talent and abilities, was what gave her ZAFT's red uniform.

Since she had joined the _Aurora_, Meyrin had begun to love her job, especially when Kira discovered her talent in computers and programming. Together, they had worked together in numerous assignments, and she had learned a lot from the kind Coordinator. Quite a lot of the _Aurora_'s developments, among them improving the speed to match the Eternal, had been conducted by Meyrin and Kira, and Meyrin knew that ZAFT's Enigma units had been designed by Kira as well. She had worked in terminating any remaining evidence of Gilbert Durandal's Destiny Plan as well as to tighten the security in ZAFT's systems, and was sure that she had contributed a lot to both Kira and Lacus. She had refused Kira's offer in transferring to development and programming work on a permanent basis. Putting her love for computers aside, Meyrin loved the _Aurora_, and she wished to stay, especially under Kira as her Commander. She was glad she did – she was glad she had remained, and had therefore been able to fight alongside Lacus once again. But she had made her decision – after this war, she would leave ZAFT and put her loyalties to Lacus totally, trusting their decisions to fight.

A small flicker on the bottom right of her third computer caught her eye and her brows pulled together as she read over the information, her right hand pressed against her headpiece. A small gasp escaped her lips and she stood, her eyes on Laniel. "ZAFT is launching an attack the Lunar Base!" Meyrin cried out. Laniel's head snapped up, his eyes on her. "The ships will be deployed in seventy-two hours!"

"Any sign of activity from the Earth Alliance?"

"None."

Laniel sprang up, his hands immediately on the receiver of the _Aurora_. "So they're resuming the fight again now. We are very far from the Moon… but I'm sure the General wouldn't want to stay here and do nothing, especially not when we have the time to interfere," he said gravely, placing the receiver to his ear. "This is Captain Laniel Ghens of the _Aurora_. Eternal, do you copy? We need General Joule and Captain Elsman here immediately."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown - <em>Renegade<em> (Present Day)**

The sound of a gun firing, followed by mechanical beeps signalling a direct hit-on-target echoed around the Minerva-class ship's training facilities as Genei reloaded his gun and fired the rounds again, taking no more than a few seconds to finish his ammunition. He was angry, throwing the empty clips away before reloading his gun with new ones. He turned to the screen beside him, increasing the speed of the moving targets and the loud bangs echoed around him once again, followed by another, and then another. He wanted to _fight_. He was pissed with the Freedom, whom he knew was not even trying to fight to its fullest potential by refusing to kill. What sort of soldier was that? Never aiming for the cockpits, merely disabling and fighting again when reinforcements came... What the hell was all that about?

_BANG BANG BANG_

He wanted the Freedom to fight a fair battle with him, not to toy around like some sort of saint he believed he was. He wanted that pilot to be angry, angrier than he had ever been before this, and he wanted a fight to the death. Taking the Advocate down without taking his life would be an insult to Genei. He preferred to go down with the Advocate in a battle where he knew the pilot had been truly fighting to kill. But how could he _do_ it?

_BANG BANG BANG_

How many times had his Advocate been forced to return to the _Renegade_, able to move, but unable to fight? How many more times would that damn pilot play around with him? That pilot wasn't the only one. The Justice's pilot, that Athrun Zala, had also fought in the same manner. No, cross that. The whole _Archangel_ had been fighting like that. Just what the hell was that all about? Did they want to fight, or didn't they? Weilding a weapon that was used to kill, how could they be so naive to believe that there was a weapon that could protect? Genei increased the speed further, his eyes fiery as he continued to fire his rounds.

_BANG BANG BANG_

Genei was an _Extended_. Not just an Extended, but a third-stage Extended. He was a conscious human weapon. He fought knowing that he had been designed and created to do so. Fighting for the sake of fighting sent thrills into his bloodstream, the sight of blood was delicious, the screams and cries of dying pilots were music. He killed knowing that he _needed_ to kill. He killed because he _wanted_ to kill. He killed because he was _made_ to kill. But there was this one fighter who was trying to show the world that fighting does not amount to killing, and Genei _despised_ that pilot.

The Freedom. The Ultimate Freedom.

Toying around with him, that Freedom pilot made his existence seem unnecessary. Genei couldn't allow that to happen. He had more strength than the fiercest Extendeds created before, the first-stage Extendeds. He had more willpower and understanding of what he was compared to the second-stage Extendeds. He had undergone rough training, killed those who had grown with him with his weapons and fists, and he had been developed and enhanced further to pure perfection. A fully functioning human weapon. He would _not_ allow himself to be degraded like this.

The sound of sirens wailing and red lights flashing snapped him from his thoughts and he looked up, surprised. The firing chamber was performing an emergency shut-down and when Genei looked at the screen beside him, he realised that he had increased the speed far too much, causing the system to overload, though his shots had hit the targets perfectly. A low growl escaped his throat and he screamed angrily, throwing the empty gun at the screen, shattering it.

"Dissatisfied?" A voice asked and Genei turned, glaring at the masked Commander who was watching him with his head tilted slightly. "You know, doing that would probably only mean a longer wait before you can fire again," he said coolly. The angry pilot remained silent. Daisuke sighed. "I know you're angry. While our special guest is still planning out his next actions, there is nothing we can do."

"The _Freedom _is still alive," Genei spat.

"I know."

"Then let me defeat it."

"Unlikely," Daisuke answered, crossing his arms. "For starters, Liesel needs to be looked over further. Ryuu Apene has called for the three of you to be treated. Maybe enhanced further. We'll rendezvous with the fleet soon enough, so I suggest you to prepare yourself," he said, turning and walking away.

Genei stared at the retreating figure. Orders were orders, and he knew Liesel definitely needed to be restored to full fighting potential again. The battle with the Freedom would have to wait. Besides, Genei thought, a smile forming on his lips, he had a good enough way to spark the pilot's anger. All he needed was to mention that Zala's name.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Earth Alliance JOSH-A base, Washington (Battle of the Lunar Base)<strong>

There was a loud bang in the room as someone slammed their fist against the table, eyes burning with pure anger. Ryuu was not a happy man. The resistance groups on the Moon were tough for him to deal with, but he had no intention whatsoever of actually attacking those groups and taking the base down – not on the Moon, not when the Moon clearly and rightfully belonged to Earth. Damn it, if the Coordinators wanted separation, the Moon would never be theirs! He wouldn't allow it! Yet, there was ZAFT, launching an attack on the lunar base of Ptolemaius, and he couldn't even contact the _Renegade_ to demand an explanation.

So… is this what that Yuri Amalfi was planning for? Deliberately refusing to help with the attack on the Mahamul base so the attack on the Moon seemed justified?

"He's smarter than I thought," Ryuu said aloud to himself, his eyes gleaming with hatred as he watched the snatches of battles currently taking place outside their atmosphere. He couldn't even send back-up forces to the Moon, not if he wishes to make an enemy out of PLANTs.

With the silly Eurasian Federation still open for attack, it was impossible for him to do more than just sit still and watch the battle commence.

He would play along, for now. He was determined to win this war, to continue Muruta Azrael's legacy and find peace for the Naturals of this world. _Aoki seijou naru sekai no tame ni!_ For the preservation of a blue and pure world! He would not allow his emotions to consume him and allow himself to be manipulated as Djibril had been during the last war. No, he would be the smartest Blue Cosmos leader that would end this war, once and for all. He just needed to be patient.

He would wait. The resistance groups were annoying anyway, and ZAFT would be doing him a favour by wiping them out. Then, they would move to battling those in the Eurasian Federation. Whether the Coordinators would leave them alone after that or not, Ryuu couldn't really care less. Once the Eurasian Federation falls, the Atlantic Federation would hold the highest power over the Naturals, and he would be the most powerful person in the world. The thought made him feel giddy. A small sacrifice for what would be final triumph for the Naturals. Naturals had once lived without the talent of Coordinators, and they would be able to do so once again.

There was only one thing that bothered Ryuu, and that was the Archangel. Even now, they have yet to bring that ship down, but he was sure that PLANTs would want that ship taken down as well. A group of rogues would just be a hassle to keep – better to wipe them out completely and take out anyone else who might dare challenge his position. He had a way of taking out the Archangel, of course, if they still couldn't bring the ship down by the time they the attacks on the Eurasian Federation were over. Ryuu had left Heliopolis alone for a reason. It was the only neutral colony left, and he had no doubt whatsoever that the Archangel would return there eventually. And once they did, he had the perfect weapon to kill both birds with one single, powerful, deadly stone.

A small smile formed at his lips and he leaned back, his eyes on the screen of his computer. The Earth Alliance had a very deadly weapon indeed. If they were talented enough to create Coordinators, why couldn't they be talented and capable in other things as well? The time would come for them to show the Coordinators that they, too, were superior and always have been.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Ptolemaius, Moon – <strong>_**Aurora**_** (Present Day)**

The battle had already begun by the time the _Aurora_ approached the Ptolemaius base on the Moon. Yzak Joule, clad in his purple ZAFT uniform, clenched his teeth together as they approached the battle that took place on the surface of the moon. A total of seven Nazca-class battleships surrounded the base, deploying forces consisting of GOUFs and Enigmas as well as a large number of ZAKUs that battled against the Daggers and Windams from the Earth Alliance resistance groups - with more back-up forces to come, according to Meyrin. The _Aurora_, being the fastest ship among those in Heliopolis, had arrived well before the rest. They would engage in battle first while waiting for the Heliopolia back-up forces to arrive.

As soon as they came within communication range, Yzak picked up the receiver of the _Aurora_, his icy-blue eyes on the ZAFT battleships that continued to deploy their missiles. "ZAFT forces, this is General Yzak Joule speaking from the _Aurora_. I command that you step down from this fight and retreat. This is also the will of Chairwoman Clyne. I repeat – stand down," he said, his voice hard.

"_Aurora?"_ one of the battleships, most likely the commanding ship, answered in surprise. "_The Aurora is no longer part of ZAFT, and we do not take orders from Lacus Clyne. Our new Chairman is Yuri Amalfi. Should the Aurora decide to interfere, we will take you down!"_

"_Damn, knew it wouldn't work_," Dearka's voice reached Yzak as he spoke from his Enigma Buster. Yzak tsch-ed, his icy eyes glaring at the carefree Coordinator displayed on the Meyrin's screen.

"Shut up," he hissed, clenching his fists. "The _Aurora_ will engage. Have Dearka, Hahnenfuss and Sierra launch. I'm going as well," he said, turning to Laniel. "Our main enemy is ZAFT, do you understand?" he asked.

Laniel gave his thumb's up from his chair. "No problem," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's about time we do a little bit of fighting. Don't worry, the _Aurora_ is in good hands," he said.

"Then I'll leave it to you," Yzak answered, turning to exit the bridge. "You better not die!" he called over his shoulder, quickly making his way to the hangar of the Nazca-class ship. Quickly dressing himself in his white pilot suit, Yzak exited the changing room just in time to see Dearka's unit move towards the catapult system of the ship – the last unit to do so, excluding Yzak.

"Your mobile suit is ready, General!" Vino called as soon as Yzak approached.

Yzak nodded once and ran towards his Hyper Duel, climbing into the cockpit and immediately strapping himself in, activating the system as he did so.

**GENERATION UNRESTRICTED NETWORK DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

**G.U.N.D.A.M ZAFT**

As the Duel began its move towards the catapult, Yzak brought up the bridge and came face-to-face with Meyrin. "_Aurora_, don't get too close to the battlefield. It'll probably be two hours before the Heliopolis forces join us," he commanded.

"_Understood,"_ Meyrin responded instantly. She hesitated. "_Captain Ghens asked you to take care,_" she said.

_Kisama_. How dare that newbie Captain talk down on him like that! _"Duel, please launch!"_

"Yzak Joule. Duel. Launching!"

Yzak felt the usual powerful momentum of the thrust as he was catapulted out of the battleship and he tightened his grip on the controls, increasing the thrust of his mobile suit as he caught up to Dearka, Shiho and Sierra. They had already been informed of what to do in the battle, and who their enemies were.

Taking out both his beam rifles, Yzak clenched his teeth as he aimed them at a GOUF that was quickly approaching the base. _That's a Coordinator piloting that GOUF_, Yzak thought, his icy blue eyes hard as he glared at the battle in front of him.

What had happened? Since when had he learned to point his weapon at fellow Coordinators to protect Naturals? He had enlisted in ZAFT to protect Coordinators. He had become a soldier because he hated Naturals. Why was he fighting against them now? Those pilots… They could possibly be his juniors. Maybe comrades from the Academy. They could be his friends, or Rusty's friends, or Miguel's friends, or Nicol's friends, or Athrun's friends… And he was pointing his rifle at them? But what other choice did he have? Turn against the _Aurora_ and fight to protect the Coordinators? Once upon a time, Yzak would have done that without a second thought. He wouldn't have hesitated at all. What had changed? When did it change? How did it change?

Perhaps it was the number of lives lost. Perhaps it was the suffering he had seen and realised he had caused. Perhaps it was that escape shuttle full of Natural civilians that he had shot down, believing that they were cowardly soldiers.

But these soldiers that he was trying to protect, these Earth Alliance fighters… Most likely, they, or at least a part of them, were the ones responsible for the death of his squadron. The soldiers that he was pointing his rifle to, the ZAFT soldiers, were loyal soldiers who were fighting with his mother, with Nicol's father… What was he doing?

A low growl escaped Yzak's lips as he gripped his controls tighter, furious now. He had turned his hatred into strength too many times in the past. He had fought, believing that his fists held all the power in the world when the problems could have been resolved through spoken words that were never understood by both sides. He would shoot, yes, but not for what had been lost in the past. He would shoot for the future.

"_Commander?_" Shiho's voice reached his ears and a small, angry smile appeared on his lips.

"Let's go! Make sure you don't aim at their cockpits!" Yzak commanded, his finger immediately releasing the trigger, successfully dismembering the head of the GOUF he had been aiming at. Pushing his speed to the maximum, shooting and disabling as he did so, he immediately switched to his Edin double-beam saber, clashing instantly against a white Enigma that intercepted him with his Gigas beam sword.

"_Traitor! You're a traitor to ZAFT! To Coordinators!"_ the pilot shouted, his voice amazingly familiar… but then again, Yzak knew most Commanders, and it would not surprise him if he personally knew the pilot to this unit.

Yzak snickered darkly. Once upon a time, he had said the exact same words. "_Kisama!_ You're the one betraying the Coordinators right now!" he shouted, bringing down his beam saber at full thrust. The Enigma swerved, his right hand catching the impact and exploding. Yzak slammed his foot against the mobile suit's back, taking out one of its thrusters. The pilot cried out in surprise, then screamed angrily, its cannons locking onto the Duel.

"_What are you talking about? Those good-for-nothing Naturals have always killed our kind!"_

"Do you _truly_ believe that the Coordinators can continue to survive without the resources on Earth? _Without the Naturals_?" Yzak shot back, the Duel flipping backwards as it avoided the cannons, simultaneously switching the beam saber for its beam boomerangs. The boomerangs were released, lodging spinning fiercely as they cut through the cannons, causing a huge explosion. With one swift move, both legs were cut off and Yzak stored the beam sabers, retrieving his boomerangs. "The day you believe that fighting and killing could not be helped is the day hope is lost forever for Coordinators," Yzak hissed angrily. He took out his beam rifle, and shot the headpiece off. The external cameras went out, the communications jammed, and the pilot inside could only breathe deeply, shocked and surprised with what had just happened.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown – <strong>_**Renegade **_**(Present Day)**

Failures. How could a failure be alive?

Captain Sethe Tienn, a man with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, leaned back against his seat in the _Renegade_'s bridge, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger as the ship sailed across the surface of the water, heading… who knows where. The Commander had been busy ever since that Yuri Amalfi came aboard, which did not trouble Sethe the slightest. He had received orders just moments beforehand from the silver-haired Coordinator, telling him to rendezvous with an Earth Alliance fleet that would take the three Extendeds to their base for a performance enhancement test, as well as to check Liesel for her damages. He had been asked whether he would join them or not, but once Sethe discovered that Ryuu would be with the Extendeds, he declined. He was much more curious about where this ship was really going to head to.

As a… 'being'… Sethe had many thoughts on the world in general. He did not have a sense of belonging, but it wasn't as if he had wanted to belong in the first place. He was a failure who would perish very soon, just as how all humans would live and die, and to him, that was the ending point.

Unconsciously, Sethe reached into the pocket of his coat, fingering the transparent plastic container where, inside, he knew he would find blue pills mocking him.

Created in Cosmic Era 55, Sethe was younger than Rau Le Creuset who was created in Cosmic Era 46, but older than Rey Za Burrel. He never cared to use the name given to him, Ren, for he knew that he, like Rey, like Rau, were all the same: a clone of Al Da Flaga. Ren Da Flaga. According to Rau, the Mendel Colony had been attacked the year he was created, rumoured to be the work of Blue Cosmos. Rau was ten, though he looked and acted much older than his age and Sethe wondered if Rau was actually involved in the attack in Mendel. Thirteen years later, Rau joined ZAFT, despite being a Natural clone, and he took Rey in with him but had commanded Sethe to join the Earth Alliance. Sethe disagreed even though he could quite easily pass the exams in making him an Earth Alliance soldier. Instead, he signed up to join Blue Cosmos, where he later got involved in the biohazard outbreak in Mendel in C.E 68. Two clones working on both sides of the battlefield.

He knew what had happened in the Neo-GENESIS in the Battle of Messiah five years ago. He knew what Rey had done – he knew that Rey had saved Kira Yamato. The thought disgusted him, but Sethe was also grateful, in a way, for it meant the end of Durandal's Destiny Plan. What he _didn't_ know at the time was the true identity of Neo Roanoke, whom he had never crossed paths with during the second war, but whom he had, in a way, been working closely with. Sethe had been deeply involved in the development of the Extendeds, and learning the truth about Mu La Flaga later truly surprised him.

He did not bear the hatred Rau had towards humanity. If there was anyone whom Sethe truly hated, it was the scientists that had created him and the other clones of Al Da Flaga, just so they could obtain the funds necessary to create Kira Yamato. The Ultimate Coordinator. It was sickening that Kira Yamato, in a way, needed to thank him for his existence.

Sethe had purposefully joined the RENEGADE. After Blue Cosmos had failed twice in eliminating humankind, he decided that he would step up in his role instead of merely playing in the shadows. He bore no feelings of loyalty to either the Naturals or the Coordinators. The way the Earth Alliance kept on demanding new upgrades of Extendeds, leading to the creation of Genei, Tierra and Liesel, sickened him. Even now, they were battling outside the atmosphere, at Ptolemaius. If anything, it just made him more certain that humankind was determined to destroy itself, and he would allow them to do so. He just wanted to stay for the ride. Most importantly, he wanted to meet this Kira Yamato who had taken Rau Le Creuset's life, who Rey Za Burrel had saved.

"Captain, there are Des-Moines battleships up ahead," Carnell reported, a close-up visual coming up on the screen.

"It's them," Sethe confirmed as he glanced over the coordinates, reaching for the receiver of the ship. "The _Renegade_ will rendezvous with the Earth Alliance fleet shortly – pilots Genei Alens, Tierra Hito and Liesel Asien, please make your way to the pilot briefing room," he announced, coming to his feet. "Schellen, find a channel so we can connect to them," he ordered.

"Yes, sir!" the CIC responded.

The door to the bridge slid open and Amalfi stepped in, his hands clenched tight. "What is an _Earth Alliance_ fleet doing here?" he demanded angrily. The half-masked Commander stepped after him, calm and emotionless as ever.

"Some pilots from the Earth Alliance are called to report to the base on the Archangel's battle status, as well as the Freedom," the lie came smoothly.

"They will not engage us in battle," the silver-haired Commander added. "Captain, please ensure that our pilots are taken safely," he said, turning his covered eyes onto Sethe.

Sethe saluted. "As you wish," he said, glad as ever to leave the two Coordinators behind.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 ZAFT Mahamul Base – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

"Murrue-san!" Kira's voice made everyone turn as the door slid open, revealing the brown-haired Coordinator and an older man dressed in Orb's military uniform. They stepped into the Archangel Bridge, Kira's eyes darting onto the large screen of the Bridge where the battle on the lunar base was already being shown. Mu, Murrue and Waltfeld gave small nods of greeting while Lacus moved to Kira's side instantly, like a magnet.

Cagalli raised her eyebrows at the newcomer. "Kisaka-san… Is everything alright?" she asked.

The Orb Admiral nodded once, "The Harutsuki is fine. But the Orb forces wishes to head to Heliopolis," he informed, surprising those in the bridge.

"Heliopolis?" Murrue echoed.

"There's nothing more that the Harutsuki can do here. Those onboard wishes to head to Heliopolis. I will go as well."

Cagalli clenched her fists, her eyes hard. It was something that she had considered, of course. Ever since the attacks had began to spread in Eurasia, the Harutsuki and the two ZAFT submarines had been waiting by the sidelines idly, unable to join the mobile suit forces in battle. Even Cagalli now found herself rather useless, no longer giving orders from the ship. She wanted to fight – she needed to guide Orb's men, especially now with Athrun missing.

A hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up as Mu smiled knowingly at her. "It's high time I return the Akatsuki back to you," he said lightly.

"W-What? But the Akatsuki -"

"It's finally time, eh?" Waltfeld sighed , moving to the group. "The Eternal has waited long enough up there. I would like to see that Gaia back in one piece," he said, clapping a hand on Mu's shoulder.

"No problem with that!"

"We're still developing a mobile armour for you," Kisaka said, addressing Mu. "The records of your battle status on the Akatsuki are consistently transmitted to Morganroete, and Erica promised that it's suitably designed," he said. Mu let out a low whistle.

"_HEY!_" Cagalli interjected hotly.

"Then, I guess that's settled," Waltfeld agreed. "Maybe we should hijack a shuttle," he said, eyeing Lacus who merely smiled at the memory. "The real battle will blow out soon. I don't think Blue Cosmos would be amused when they realised they've been used by ZAFT like this."

"We're probably be walking right into their plans if we return to Heliopolis," Kisaka warned.

Waltfeld shrugged. "We've walked into their traps often enough," he dismissed.

"Please don't worry, Cagalli," Kisaka said, turning to the frustrated golden-haired girl. "You still need to stay here and fight," he said pointedly.

"I know!" Cagalli snapped, huffing slightly. Her eyes were fiery, though she could see that there were no words that she could say. Her shoulders relaxed and she sighed. "I'll come with you to the Harutsuki," she said, her voice quieter now. She wanted to meet her soldiers before they depart.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown – ZAFT Secret Phaedra's Base (Present Day)<strong>

Genetically modified humans were known as Coordinators. Chemically modified humans were known as Extendeds. Amalfi wondered what chemically modified Coordinators would amount to.

The project of designing what Amalfi now call as FIGHTERs had begun soon after the end of the first war, though at the time, he had been working more or less alone. Commander Aiten, of course, had been of great help, but they had started small in an abandoned laboratory at the base of the ocean, presumably left decades ago and Amalfi suspected he knew why. Back then, mobility was extremely difficult with the design of the extremely large and bulky atmospheric suits and research on the Earth's tectonic plates had not been conducted fully in order to understand the conditions of the ocean. Even the sheer amount of pressure at the base of the ocean was terrifying – without the right suit and reinforcements, the gases in the human body would well implode with such high pressure. But it was these harsh conditions that made Amalfi certain that this was the best location for the creation and development of FIGHTERs. Earth, after all, was made up of seventy-percent water. The 'land' that they could use in the ocean was undeniably larger than they could on actual land.

The _Renegade_ docked at the base and Amalfi inhaled slowly. He could just feel the heavy tonnes of pressure above them – it unnerved him to be at the bottom of the ocean, truthfully, especially when he had been so accustomed to light pressure in the conditions of space. He turned, nodding once to the silver-haired Commander, signalling for him to follow – they would exit the ship first.

Amalfi moved easily through the corridors, knowing the place well enough by now. Exiting the ship, they were greeted by the head of the facility, Rita Ash. She was a first-generation Coordinator, with deep blue eyes and her hair a paler shade of blue. She was holding a clipboard – Amalfi couldn't recall if he had ever seen her without one. "Hello," she said, never one for formalities. "This is a rather surprising visit. Are you going to tell me that you want them out?"

The other Coordinator shook his head. "You know as well as I do that it's impossible, even if the mobile suits have already been designed. Any luck with the new specimens?"

Rita sighed. "Most cannot withstand the pain. Some who do cannot withstand the mental effects. Unfortunately, the Naturals _are_ much more advanced in this field than we are. The survival rate increased when we weakened the effects slightly, but there is still no real guarantee that the specimen could bring the Freedom down," she said, hesitating slightly. "They're very... unpredictable."

"The Extendeds the Naturals have developed are quite... impressive," Amalfi said, choosing his words carefully.

"But they are not human," Rita pointed out. "Sooner or later, when you stop administering whatever it is they are taking, they'll probably shut down. We wish to prevent that. Growing them from birth seems rather impossible. The failure rate for that is higher than if we take a developed Coordinator and enhancing it. The womb just cannot support such things, and there is no artificial womb that we can use without killing the foetus. The best thing to do is how the Naturals do it – take the infant as soon as it can live without the mother's womb, and develop from there using high-compressed chambers where we can administer the drugs and monitor the changes. But the wait is too long."

Amalfi dug his nails into his palms, his eyes hard. "And what of a fully-grown Coordinator?"

Rita arched her eyebrow. "Is there a specimen you have in particular? We have tried the changes on full Coordinators, but they cannot withstand the pain. Grown bodies are clearly less prone to accepting changes. The aftermath is rather gruesome," she said, her face changing slightly at the memory of it.

There was no turning back. Nicol was gone, and he needed to put the world right again. Athrun would continue Nicol's fight, just as how he wanted to, and Amalfi would make sure of it. "There is one onboard the ship – I have very high expectations for him, and would like him ready in a month, latest. Two weeks if possible," he said, putting a hand up as Rita began to protest, her face indignant. "He's special… He was with my son. If possible, I want his memories removed – modified if needed," he said quietly.

A fully functioning FIGHTER in two weeks! The man had clearly lost his marbles! Rita huffed indignantly. "I would advise to allow him to keep his memories for as long as possible, perhaps just before sending him into battle if he could even survive this," she said, trying hard not to lose her temper at his impossible request. "If he's as human as we are, then he would have feelings. Deep feelings. Maybe someone he wants to meet, maybe someone he needs to protect – those thoughts are extremely powerful, and the stronger the attachment, the stronger the will to survive the effects of the drug," she said, crossing her arms. "The problem we always have is that we kept on trying the drug on anonymous people, and this project is still taking baby steps. This might kill him," she pressed, wondering if this specimen meant anything important to Amalfi.

The older man hesitated, then shook his head. "I doubt he'll die. As said, I find him to be rather special," _he killed Nicol's killer, _"and I would like you to try your best."

"We will," Rita sighed. Can I take a look at him?"

Amalfi turned to the silent masked Commander. Daisuke nodded, extending his arm, a signal to wheel the Coordinator out. "We have him drugged, just in case. I advise you to take precautions," he said gravely.

The other Coordinator snorted, shaking her head. She had dealt with too many criminals on death penalty, too many wild soldiers who wanted to escape to return to their families, but none could even function once they were injected with the enhancing drug. Besides, where would they run to? "There is no need for worry," she said coolly, well too proud of the facility.

Receiving the signal, Ken wheeled the stretcher out, the Captain by his right side and the mobile armour pilot, Takeru, on his left. The Captain was quiet, and Ken wondered if the light-haired man knew what this place really was. His eyes darted to Athrun's face, knowing without a doubt that the Coordinator was still struggling under the influence of drugs, especially when he had been the one to administer it. Ken wondered what Daisuke had in mind, coming to this place, with this _ship_ to top it off. Had he seen it coming? He could only be grateful that the Earth Alliance fleet had met them earlier, transferring the three Extendeds to head to their own base for check-up. No doubt, Daisuke had arranged that – it would be very troubling if this base discovered three real Extendeds on board. They would probably have a field day with dissections.

The person in charge, a woman, walked towards them and stopped dead in her tracks as soon as her eyes recognised the figure lying on the stretcher. "Is that… _Athrun Zala_?" she cried out, clearly shocked.

"It is," Amalfi answered. The woman turned, and Amalfi immediately held his hand up to silence her. "We have a deal. No questions – I give you the specimen, you enhance him."

She shook her head. "No, no, of course I'll do it. It's just… I've always wanted to meet the son of Patrick Zala, but not in this way," she said, sighing to herself. "A shame he couldn't share his father's views, isn't it?"

"Very much," Amalfi agreed.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I seem to have quite a few people asking me about Kira and why he hasn't been able to defeat the Gundams yet – a fair question, judging by how infinitely powerful GSD portrayed him to be, so I guess I can try and explain my reasons. The thing is, why shouldn't he have enemies that can fight as well as he can? We see Kira as being very powerful in GSD because the Extendeds in GSD are actually weaker than those in GS. Factually so. Having said that, however, I do realise that my battle scenes haven't exactly done any one of our favourite pilots real justice in terms of the display of power. I'll try my best from here onwards!

Once again, forgive me for any technical mistakes (which I believe amount to quite a few). I don't have a really good judge of distance, and being in Cosmic Era 79, it's hard for me to estimate how fast a ship and mobile suit can travel without it being unrealistic. With fuel reserves used up and the world being powered by nuclear reactors, I'm sure that ships and maybe mobile suits will travel a heck of a lot faster than our current rockets. Still, I appreciate some pointers if you have any, and I'll take them into consideration for future chapters and for when (if) I revise this fic. Next chapter should be up around 7th October!

A big shout-out to Maderfole who has advertised this fic in the 66th chapter of his fic, The Golden Age: Reclamation War. I've only just began to read his fics (still on the first book, way far behind), but I've been viewing his technical files for a long time now, which eventually made me want to write this fic. Honestly, if you're bored or in need of reading material, check his work out. Just reading the reviews could guarantee that you won't be disappointed, as he goes very much in-depth and has a world of his own. With a million words per book, I bet it'd be months before I need to hunt for something else to read.

Thank you so much to PrincessOfDestiny14, AngelicFox12, AWESOME, Atlantislux, Maderfole, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, IgNighted, DarrenrEal and Ninja Stars for the reviews. I'll be replying to your reviews via PM from here onwards, except to anonymous reviewers who will be replied to in the fic. My thanks also to those who alert-ed and favourite-d. I hope you enjoyed this chapter – as usual, please let me know. :D

* * *

><p><strong>AWESOME:<strong> You're not the only one who wishes that, seriously. I myself am beginning to realise that I've been downplaying Kira's abilities, but then again, action of this type is a completely new thing for me. With the next battle involving the Freedom, I hope to write to your expectations, and I'd appreciate a few pointers when the time comes to let me know if I've succeeded. I guess I'm probably just building up the tension for the final battle.


	17. PHASE 16: Escaping The Prototype

**PHASE SIXTEEN: Escaping The Prototype**

**C.E 79 ZAFT Phaedra's Base (Present Day)**

He had seen it. Everything. He had seen pretty much all he believed there was to see in this wretched facility, and he had made his decision – humankind _was_ determined to eliminate themselves, just as Rau had known they were.

His deep blue eyes gazed coldly at the scene before him as he walked through the observatory ramp that was installed a good ten metres above the happenings down below. The facility was large, but consisting of no more than two stories. Strong foundations were vital for a base set on the ocean floor, and the second floor was relatively smaller than the first, used for offices and observatory rooms in general rather than actual training and testing areas. Security was tighter outside than they were inside – scientists here worried more in people wanting to get in than specimens that wanted to escape… most likely due to the specimen's _inability_ to actually escape from this hellish place. It was a simple enough facility in Sethe's opinion – a large hangar housed a few mobile suits and even fewer ships, more often used for supplies to get in than to transport anything out. There was a large testing area, the operating room, the training room, the infirmary, and a whole load of other different rooms used for storage, food, inventories and even bedrooms for the scientists, whom Sethe doubted had seen the light of day for months if not years now. They seemed fully and truly engrossed with their work.

He stopped short at the research department, looking down. From where he stood, he could see clearly the happenings below – between him and the room, there was a rather thick glass panel, most likely to keep that room well sterilised, from any external germs that he could be carrying, if even possible – he had to be thoroughly cleansed and changed before he could even exit the hangar to begin with. Sethe could count a total of twelve large, highly compressed metal vessels and he had no doubt that inside, he would find humans… or whatever it was that those humans had turned into by now. The scientists, five in total from where he could see, were monitoring the screens of each vessel closely and Sethe shook his head in disgust before continuing his exploration – he would have loved to actually go down there and check those vessels himself, but he just didn't have the permission to do so. An observation from above was as far as he could get. He could probably force his way inside if he wanted to with no trouble at all, but decided against it.

Walking further, he stopped and looked down at what was supposedly the 'training facility'. There was a child there, writhing and moving at a speed that Sethe would have thought impossible. It was amazing, what this child could do in his pain and suffering. Dead bodies were scattered around the child, bloodied and grotesquely mutilated. The child, a boy, Sethe presumed, shook hard and screamed – through the glass, the sound was a very thin wail that was almost inaudible to his ears.

"Specimen A35," a voice joined him, and Sethe turned, spotting his masked Commander making his way towards him. "Gruesome, if you ask me."

Sethe's eyes narrowed at the man. After the scientists had taken that Zala boy away, the Commander had made a strange remark to him… something about observing the surroundings if he was interested. To Sethe, at the time, it seemed as if Aiten was actually _challenging_ him to look around the facility, and he had. And what he learned had surprised him, though he had somehow expected that Coordinators might have tried to do something like this, even with their extended abilities compared to the Naturals. It was the human wish, wasn't it? – To strive so much further than possible, to be infinitely more powerful and more dominating.

"If you are done observing, we should return to the ship," Daisuke said quietly. Sethe raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Our only reason for coming here was to send that pilot… Now that is done, Yuri Amalfi would like to head back to PLANTs, especially with the ZAFT forces attacking the lunar base as we speak. The Earth Alliance seemed to have accepted that ZAFT is going to fight again, in which case it is high time we attack those bases in Eurasia and end these battles on Earth," he said coolly.

"Very well. I have no more business here," Sethe answered. He wanted to be back on land, where he could contact Ryuu Apene. Blue Cosmos would undoubtedly love to hear about a research facility like this one. "Let's go," he said, turning to lead the way.

Daisuke watched him leave, allowing the Captain to take a few paces in front of him. He turned his eyes back on the training centre, the silver irises impossible to read behind the half-mask. _It's all down to Zala now._

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Ptolemaius, Moon – Hyper Duel (Present Day)<strong>

"Shoot them down! Shoot them down!" Yzak commanded angrily, deploying the ten missiles from his flyer pack. At the same time, Dearka fired his high-powered Hyper Impulse Cannon from the Enigma Buster and instantly, there were the bright flashes of nuclear missiles exploding before they could hit the remaining Nazca-class ships. Yzak's head snapped back slightly from the explosion – he could never get used to those amazingly bright explosions. His heart beating fast, he gritted his teeth and clenched his controls tightly when he realised that thankfully, none of the missiles made a direct hit – furiously, the Duel turned. "What the hell do you think you're _DOING_? Are you Naturals just that thick-headed or something? Why the hell do you think you need to fire nukes?" he demanded at one lone GAT-X105E Strike E that was facing him, equipped with a Noir Striker Pack, its beam rifle aimed to the Duel.

"_What the hell did you protect those ships for? Just whose side are you on? Either we kill them, or we die!"_

_You ungrateful little..!_ "KISAMA! Don't go sprouting that nonsense with me!" Yzak cursed, his beam sabers activating themselves in a long blade of bluish white. "If you value your base, go and defend it. Otherwise, I won't be so nice."

Yzak clenched his teeth, angered with _both_ sides by now, enough that he wished he could eliminate them both instead of fighting to stop them from tearing each other apart. The Strike E's appearance had surprised him – he knew that the Earth Alliance had been developing new mobile suits, just as how any other normal army would, but he hadn't expected them to be mass-produced so soon, much more for it to appear on a resisting base. The latest production mobile suits Yzak had heard of were the GAT-S02R N Dagger N, developed in C.E 78, which he had yet to meet in battle, and even those were limited suits (though he suspected that those models would have been mass-produced as well by now). It suddenly made him wonder why the Earth Alliance hadn't used them yet, but then again, they hadn't really been that generous with the latest development of the mass-produced Destroy units that rampaged on Earth.

The Strike E rubbed him the wrong way, for the simple reason that it was a direct development from the old Strike Gundam that Yzak had once detested so much. Its torso was black, thankfully, but it still had some slight resemblances to the old Strike, and the fact that it could change it armaments was really annoyingly familiar. It was equipped with four rocket anchors and two beam rifles, also mounting a Noir Striker pack that provided additional armaments consisting of another rocket anchor, two beam blades and two linked linear guns. Yzak tsch-ed to himself. This mobile suit was so obviously superior to the new Windams the Earth Alliance had released since the start of the war – under different circumstances, he would just be itching to fight it.

He scanned his eyes around him, assessing the situation. The base had been damaged, but in no way was it taken down. Small fights still ensued between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT mobile suits, but it was being taken further and further away from the moon. The high-energy cannons that had fired from the Nazca-class ships had been surprising, inflicting a huge blow to the lunar base, which had led the Earth Alliance to firing their nuclear missiles. Ten metres from his right, he could see Dearka engaged in battle with two Enigmas, obviously overpowering them.

"_You Coordinator scum! Don't look down on me!"_ The pilot shouted angrily, boosting its thrusters, at the same time switching the rifle he had been pointing for a beam saber.

Yzak smirked. So, he would be able to fight the Strike E after all. This mobile suit may be superior, but Yzak was a close-quarters expert. Easily, he increased the power output of his thrusters and the Duel shot upwards, dodging the attack. Yzak flipped and slammed his foot against the Strike E's back, sending it down. In a blur, the Duel had sliced off an arm and a leg, and he turned just in time to block an attack with his beam saber. Yzak clenched his teeth as he felt himself being pushed back, the force of the two clashing sabers nearly overpowering. With a loud cry, Yzak moved back and released his two beam boomerangs, cutting off the arm of the Strike E, leaving it armless. It released its rocket launchers and Yzak boosted his thrusters, switching the sabers for a rifle and he shot them down, releasing his own set of missiles. Rockets and missiles exploded and Yzak took out his Aegis short beam blade, sending it down to penetrate the headpiece of the Strike E.

It angered him to fight against both sides. It angered him that neither side would listen to reason. The few hours after that were blurs as Yzak lashed out and shot, fire and strike, until the Ptolemaius base was heavily damaged and both sides decided to stop fighting.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown (Present Day)<strong>

A loud grumble echoed through the corridors of an Earth Alliance Des-Moines battleship, followed by the sound of footsteps moving back and forth. Tierra's hazel eyes moved to and fro as he watched Genei pacing in front of him, his brows furrowed and his fists clenched tight. He raised his eyebrows at his companion, leaning back and crossing his arms as he did so. Liesel was having her last check-up with the Doctor, and the wait was driving Genei mad. Damn it, he wanted to see the Freedom. He wanted another try in fighting that blasted mobile suit, if it was the last thing he did. When they were transported on the Des-Moines battleship, their mobile suits had been transferred as well and Genei had received the report that his Advocate was as good as ever for battle. How he wanted to launch that attack. It has already been scheduled that the Earth Alliance and ZAFT would be fighting again, though he heard that the resistance groups in Eurasia were very weak… it wouldn't be like fighting in Orb, say, but Genei did not care. As long as he could get that Freedom.

The door to the infirmary slid open and Liesel walked out, followed by an unsatisfied-looking Doctor Peer. The Doctor was someone whom Genei both liked and hated at the same time. On one hand, he liked the Doctor because the man was so inherently different from the other humans Genei knew. The Doctor hated humans, and his only love and passion was for the Extendeds, whom he had developed since goodness-knows-when. In regards to the subject of Extendeds, one could say that the whole operation was under the Doctor and not just the Blue Cosmos. He was there from the beginning, until now, and all successful Extendeds had some sort of connection to the Doctor in a way. A master of medicine and drugs, brilliant in his own way. Having said that, however, Genei also disliked the man for his lack of emotion. It wasn't as if Genei had much to talk about himself, but emotion was what made humans so delicious to torture and kill. With the Doctor having none, it was difficult for Genei to know what the man was really like.

"You're nowhere near as perfect as I want you to be, but the good Commander asked for optimum, and that's what I can give," the Doctor said as Liesel walked to stand beside Genei.

"Thank you, Doctor," Liesel said tonelessly as she stared at the doctor. Genei glanced at her. She seemed thoughtful.

"It's about time!" another voice joined them. Tierra turned, resisting the urge to arch his eyebrow as Ryuu Apene walked towards them, the satisfaction in his eyes undeniable. "We have left those in Eurasia for far too long, and it's time for us to continue our journey," he said smugly, perfectly at peace with himself. The world worked on a system, both written and not, but when that system was thrown into chaos, he had the freedom to act as he wished… especially with soldiers that so willingly followed his orders.

Genei's eyes lightened at the mentioning of a battle. Now was his chance to fight against the Freedom.

"Any word from Commander Aiten?" Tierra asked curiously, voicing for the first time.

Ryuu turned to the hazel-eyed Extended. "We have. The _Renegade_ is moving as we speak, and we shall rendezvous with them in three days. But I don't see why we shouldn't attack first. The Earth Alliance is always ready."

With that, the Blue Cosmos leader turned and left the three Extendeds and the good Doctor, his eyes unreadable as his thoughts ran through his head once again. He had been occupied ever since they received word from the _Renegade_… more specifically, since he received word from Sethe. That man had always been a great asset to Blue Cosmos, but this time, it seemed as if they had hit the jackpot. Extended Coordinators! Ryuu thought the Earth Alliance Extendeds were terrible enough (though necessary, especially when fighting against beings that should never have existed in this world), but to have Extended Coordinators? That was the final straw, the last proof he needed (as if he really needed more) to know for certain that he could never allow Coordinators to continue living. So… enhanced genes weren't enough, were they? They needed to resort to further enhancement, to building live Coordinator weapons now instead?

Ryuu simply could not leave that base behind. Think of all the Naturals who would perish in the hands of those monsters! Think of all that they would lose! And besides, what better way was it for Blue Cosmos to rise to the top, after all? Their support was wavering, but if the Naturals could just see what the Coordinators were doing, they would definitely feel the fear. And they would turn to Blue Cosmos once again to restore peace and order to the world, for a pure, blue world. There was high chance that even those in Eurasia would join his battle once they discovered the truth behind the Coordinators, behind Yuri Amalfi. Extended Coordinators! On Earth! If that wasn't a sign that the Coordinators wanted to wipe out the Naturals, then Ryuu had no idea what was. He prided himself in being one of Blue Cosmos's most distinguished leaders after his mentor, Muruta Azrael, and he would not allow Azrael to feel disappointed. There was a lot at stake here, but the Atlantic Federation was the most powerful of the Earth Alliance, and Ryuu was not frightened. He had resources. He had power. He also had opposition, but he had no doubt that he would turn the tables around this time.

Entering the office that had been specially prepared for him, Ryuu turned to the computer and began to type, the smile now pronounced on his face. He knew what he was going to do, and ZAFT and PLANTs would both pay for what they had done, for attacking the lunar base without consulting the Earth Alliance first. It was high time they end this war. Separation was something Ryuu wanted, but it would be so much better if he could eliminate those damn Coordinators once and for all. _Aoki seijou naru sekai no tame ni!_ For the preservation of a blue and pure world!

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Lagrange Area 3, <em>Eternal<em> (Present Day)**

"What's the status of those in Maius's headquarters?" Waltfeld asked as soon as he entered the bridge of the Eternal, moving to the communications station by his right and looking over the monitor as he did so.

"They've had more luck infiltrating the database. We found an old blueprint of the GENESIS ZERO project, but it's highly possible that the design has changed since then – it's more than five years old, older than the old Neo-GENESIS," DaCosta answered, looking over his papers as he did so. They had just made the breakthrough a few hours ago, and he had been far too relieved when Waltfeld had arrived in Heliopolis with the crew members from both Orb and ZAFT. The Orb soldiers had gone through a rough time on Earth, and they were more than happy to be reunited with their families… that is, if their families had survived the battle in Orb in the first place.

"Hmm…" Waltfeld mused, his hand moving to his chin. "Older than the Neo-GENESIS? I knew that Amalfi must've been planning this for a long time now," he commented. "Let me see the blueprints."

A large screen was lowered on the bridge's left side and Waltfeld turned, his eyes on the screen as it flickered to life. Immediately, the designs and rough sketches of the new weapon was shown and Waltfeld arched his eyebrow as he looked at the thing. By itself, the thing was large and ugly, resembling the original GENESIS more than the Neo-GENESIS. Still, Waltfeld was certain that they had hid the weapon in an asteroid or a fortress as they had done before, in which case pinpointing the large weapon in the vastness of space would be simply impossible – they had neither the time nor the resources to be looking for a needle in the middle of a field, and the best chance they had was if they could further break through ZAFT's database.

Waltfeld's brows pulled together. Something did not seem right. "This weapon… it's a little strange if they built it with this blueprint. This could well be the blueprint of the original GENESIS," he pointed out. Sure, the power output had been increased at a dramatic scale, not to mention the amount of damage the weapon could cause, but something did not seem right. It seemed rather strange for ZAFT to use the same type of weapon. Surely, they had something else in plan? Even the Earth Alliance had used mirrors during the last war to reflect the beam to a particular target without needing to move the weapon. What could Yuri Amalfi have possibly planned for this war? Judging by the power output the GENESIS ZERO could emit, Waltfeld could see that major damages would be inflicted on Earth. It was possible for the weapon to even destroy Heliopolis in a single shot if placed at the right distance. It was a worrying situation, but not one that Waltfeld was not familiar with – these soldiers liked to play with big weapons.

"Send the information to the Archangel. I'm sure they would like to know about this," Waltfeld said gravely, moving to sit at his seat in the bridge.

"Commander, the _Aurora_ is currently on their way back. They were pursued earlier, but it's possible that the ZAFT forces have given up chase," a crew member reported.

A small smile twitched at Waltfeld's face. "Well, I'm sure that General Joule could handle things. He'd probably not appreciate the Eternal if we interfere," he said easily. "Get the status of those in Factory and have a shuttle prepared. DaCosta, it's time we learn about this GENESIS ZERO," he commanded, clenching his fist as he did so.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Location Unknown – Hyper Duel (Present Day)<strong>

"_Battery fully charged. Deuterion beam disengaging!"_

Yzak smirked, his Duel immediately taking a sharp turn as soon as the power charge had been completed. The pursuing ZAFT ships were annoying, and the _Aurora_ had taken the rear, allowing the ships from Heliopolis to travel ahead. Flashes of beams coloured the blackness of space and Yzak immediately took out his beam rifles, boosting his thrusters as he did so. The blue and grey mobile suit darted forward in a quick flash and he found his two blades clashing against two pursuing Enigmas instantly. Enigmas were ZAFT's pride, but Yzak was far from caring – it was high time the ships gave up chase. He gritted his teeth, fighting for balance as he prevented himself from being thrown back by the two mobile suits. With a cry of anger, the Hyper Duel moved forward, pushing the two Enigmas back, and Yzak flipped, his foot slamming against the cockpit of one of them while his other tore the Enigmas's arm away with his beam saber.

Alarms blared and Yzak's head snapped up as three mobile suits locked onto him, a Nazca-class battleship coming far too close for comfort. He was too far in.

"_Yzak!"_ Dearka's voice made him glance to his right and Yzak gasped, his hand just managing to control the Duel, pushing it forward in time to escape the high powered cannon blast that came from Dearka's unit. Three mobile suits disintegrated beside him, and a large hole was seen in the Nazca-class battleship, which began to explode.

"KISAMA! What do you think you're _doing_?" Yzak snapped angrily, using the moment to disable the two Enigmas he had been fighting earlier. That was far too _close_. He could have been fried!

The white and brown Enigma raced past him, beam saber out, and began to tear down the CIWS of the battleship. "_I'm saving your butt_," Dearka answered easily, the Enigma relaxing as it reversed away from the battleship. "_I think that's the last of them,_" he reported, turning to gaze around him.

The _Aurora_ was leaving safely, though the ship had clearly suffered some grave damages in the battle on the lunar base.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 ZAFT Phaedra's Base (Present Day)<strong>

Pain… Deep pain. Somewhere deep in his veins, something flowed, leaving behind electric and an excruciating sensation that nearly blinded his senses. Athrun forced his eyes open, his head spinning, but his vision far clearer than it had ever been in the past. The sensation was overwhelming. He shut his eyes again, his nails digging deep into the palms of his hands. What was going on?

He remembered vaguely fighting through tranquilisers, trapped in darkness but with the ability to hear. He had not been able to understand through the cloud in his mind, but several times, he had forced his eyes open and he could remember snatches of what had happened to him. There was a room, one that was filled with oval chambers, and he had been transported to a bed before he was injected with different liquids. He remembered forcing his eyes open, turning to the chambers, seeing something so utterly human-like in those cells, but wanting to believe that those things couldn't _possibly_ be human. He remembered being tested on, being scanned, he remembered reports read and his body touched.

He was a specimen.

"Well done, Athrun. You seem to be fighting against it better than most first-stagers," a voice, a female voice, greeted from beside him. "The dosage is still no more than the first stage, but I think Amalfi is not wrong when he recommended you," she said, her voice wistful.

Amalfi? Athrun opened his eyes again, the same disorienting sensation coming over him again. His mind seemed unable to make sense of anything, but he could _see_. He could see so much. He turned his head, focusing on the woman who had addressed him. She wore a white coat, a typical laboratory coat, and was holding a clipboard in her hands. She gazed at him curiously, her head tilted to the side. "Most would be screaming by now," she noted interestedly, taking a note down on the clipboard.

If he could speak, he would have retorted. But his muscles were locked, and the pain was too high. Athrun wondered why he _wasn't_ screaming already. Rita walked over to a machine that beeped beside him and typed into the keyboard. Instantly, the pain subsided, but only slightly, leaving behind a lingering sensation of what was once truly excruciating. Athrun gasped, then pushed himself into sitting position. He was still getting used to his senses, which seemed to have magnified tenfold. He felt… better. Better than he had ever felt before. "Who are you?" he forced.

"Doctor Rita Ash, head of the Phaedra facility. You've sustained quite a historical amount of injuries in the past," she noted, turning her deep blue eyes on him. "PLANTs have quite the sophisticated medical system, but they are still unable to fully heal wounds to perfection. We had a rough time working through those first," she said, facing him again. "I'm going against orders here, but I need to try, if possible. I don't think a pilot like you need further enhancement."

The word startled him. "Enhancement?"

"The Phaedra base specialises in enhancement… Enhancement of Coordinators. Most of us down here, if not all of us, are very loyal followers of your father, Athrun. We believe in the superiority of the Coordinators… We believe that we can strive so much more than what the Naturals limit us to do," she said quietly.

His fists clenched instantly, a prompt reaction upon the mentioning of his father. Patrick Zala. How Athrun hated the way his father had left behind such a legacy that the Coordinators followed, and he thought he might have seen the end of it during the last war. Clearly, that wasn't the case. "Coordinators are not superior," Athrun said coldly, the image of Cagalli coming to his mind. Cagalli, that girl who, without her, Athrun never knew what would have happened to him.

Rita sighed. "Athrun… A large number of us here respect you for who you are. And we see no reason why you need enhancement. Why won't you see the way of your father? You could continue his legacy and lead his followers towards a better path for Coordinators," she said softly.

"There are other ways for Coordinators to be better," Athrun said angrily, clenching and unclenching his fists. Rita's eyes moved towards them, taking note on how Athrun was beginning to adapt with the changes. He was going to lead the Coordinators to a better path, but this wasn't it. His father's ways were so far and beyond what Athrun himself wanted to do, and he hated it.

"Patrick Zala's way was the right one!"

"His way was cowardly!" Athrun shouted, tensing himself. "If you truly want a way for Coordinators to live peacefully, then find a way to stop the fighting!"

"There is no other way!"

He launched himself at her, driving a firm hand to stomach, feeling her going limp in his arms. Alarms blared instantly, a sign that someone had been watching them all along. Athrun wasn't surprised. He needed to return, he needed to get away from this place. The chambers, the conversations, the hopes of what Yuri Amalfi had had for him... he understood now. But there was no time to ponder over it. Yanking the cables and tubes connected to him, Athrun had made his decision. Suicidal or not.

In a flash, Athrun sprinted towards the door of the lab and took a sharp turn, neither caring nor knowing which direction he should be taking. His mind worked furiously as he assessed the place and his situation. He had ran for fifteen seconds before the seven armed guards appeared, batons and guns in hand. One of them open fired and Athrun immediately dropped, his foot lashing out in a painful kick to the guard's stomach before ramming up an open fist to the face of another. A baton missed the side of his head by millimetres and Athrun kicked out, his foot coming in contact with the guard's armpit. One ran towards him, a knife in hand – they had received strict orders not to kill if at all costs possible, but knife wounds were easier to restore than bullet wounds. Athrun stood, and with a swift move, he turned on his heel just before the knife made contact, catching the guard's hand with both of his. The forward momentum was easy to work with and Athrun twisted the arm behind the guard, the knife dropping, but just before he could shove the guard away towards the other two, something hard and fast hit him on the back of his head and he dropped, his vision blurring for a split second. The distraction was enough – a guard fired, and Athrun felt the all-too-familiar searing pain as a bullet drove itself into the flesh of his shoulder.

It was a battle lost, and Athrun felt the bitterness as a guard roughly took him by the collar, forcing him onto his feet. He turned, his eyes spotting a small child with brown hair and the fieriest red eyes that he had ever seen – it was this child who had caught him off guard earlier, acting far too quickly for Athrun's reflexes to catch.

"Please don't try that again," Rita's voice came from behind, and Athrun turned, glaring daggers at the doctor. She was holding her head, and moved to the child, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Specimen A35. Well done, Miho," she complimented him. "Please take him back to the lab."

The guards did so gladly, but not as nicely as Rita would like them to be. She could not complain, of course. Athrun was a vicious fighter, and she had only given him the first dose of the first stage – perhaps not even complete! Then again, Athrun was a trained elite soldier of ZAFT. She could probably get away with administering the drug for the third stage right away, with his durability.

The third-stage drug would turn Athrun into what Miho was now – a living, breathing weapon, but no longer with any memories or recollections of self. It was a sorry existence. Rita definitely would not like to see Athrun having the same eyes as Miho, but what else could she do? He did not want to uphold his father's fight, and he did not want to stay put as he should. Amalfi wanted to give him a mobile suit… a mobile suit that would forever change the history of the Coordinators. It was the only path left for her to take.

In the meantime, while they were moving, Athrun painfully gripping his shoulder, his mind had worked furiously for a plan to escape. He had worked out the few things he needed to know, and he'd be damned if he was to allow them to transform him into something inhuman without a fight. He knew that this was his chance. The guards had an iron grip on him, but they had only cuffed his hands in front of him and he was grateful for that. The many years the guards have had of overpowering pained, enhanced Coordinators had made them smug, and that was to be their last mistake. Athrun couldn't allow this operation to continue – one glance at Miho and he knew what had happened to the young boy, whom Athrun perceived was perhaps no more than fifteen years old… the same age as Nicol when he died.

He had heard the tell-tale sounds of mobile suits moving earlier. Athrun doubted that this facility created mobile suits for battle, and he doubted that it was a military base… but mobile suits had many uses, and one of them was to carry around heavy crates full of essentials needed for facilities like these. He supposed that that would be the case – the mobile suits wouldn't be armed, but Athrun knew he didn't need many weapons for the suit to escape. He had seen someone move earlier, half-dressed in an atmospheric pressure suit, and he knew that he was underwater. The heaviness was obvious, secure as the facility was even. Now all he needed to do was to escape.

The child unnerved him. Athrun hated the idea of fighting against such a child, but he also knew that it was likely that the boy was his enemy here – his most powerful enemy, most likely, judging by how the guards had stepped down as soon as he put the blow to Athrun earlier. Was it possible? It was _too_ possible, too easy, to escape from this place. He was going against a whole facility, weaponless, cuffed, but there was a mobile suit he could pilot and all he needed was to get out of here. Guards littered the place, but Athrun doubted that he had any other chance. Either take the opportunity now, or risk being chained down, never again having the opportunity to escape. Athrun had had enough of being held down – he could have escaped from the _Renegade_ if not for being held down, and so he made his decision.

He would win against this Miho, no matter what enhancements the boy had gone through. After all, there was one vital thing that Rita and Amalfi had missed when they had made these Extended Coordinators – unlike Miho, Athrun had a reason to keep on fighting. The drive, the reason to keep on living and fighting, was what made a soldier most lethal. The image of Cagalli came into mind and Athrun clenched his hands tighter, his teeth clenched tight. _When all this is over… I'll marry her._

The only one who saw it coming was Miho as Athrun suddenly threw his body back against the guards, spinning easily on his heel which he slammed against a guard's face. Blood spurted from the nose and someone open fired, though they had no chance of hitting the blue-haired Coordinator. Athrun was quick as he dodged the bullet, taking the guards down with his uninjured arm and his feet as he fought. A swift kick was all it took to acquire a gun and Athrun open fired instantly, taking the remaining guards down. Rita had disappeared, taken away to safety by a different guard, and Miho had strangely disappeared. Alarms blared deafeningly around him and he turned around, trying to locate the small boy. He wasn't there, but something screamed danger at him and Athrun knew that he was in trouble. Breathing deeply, the blue-haired Coordinator looked around, assessing the situation – he had the choice of two corridors – the one on the left would undoubtedly take him back to his room. He could hear more guards hurrying from behind and he made the prompt decision – he took the right corridor.

A sudden bang, followed by an extremely heavy sensation of something impacting against the facility threw him off-balance as he felt the ground shake beneath him. An external attack! Moving as quickly as he could, Athrun found himself in a large computer laboratory and he immediately dropped down as he spotted a few men shouting at each other, pointing their fingers, most likely alerted and worry with his escape. Athrun edged forward, moving through the computers and paused momentarily when something caught his eye. The monitor had his details displayed, but what surprised him even more was the mobile suit specifications that was displayed beside his image. A small intake of breath escaped his lips as he read through the details – ZGMF-X99X Terminate.

"We're being attacked! Prepare the system shutdown!" someone shouted. Athrun raised his head slightly – the three men earlier exchanged glances and immediately ran out of the room, heading towards the main headquarters of the facility.

Quickly, Athrun twisted his hands from inside the cuffs, gritting his teeth as the sharp metal cut into his wrists, and he began to type into the computer. He read through the details quickly, but what he really needed, at least right now, was the layout of the facility as well as a good idea on where he was.

"Stop."

The voice was soft, and it was the first time Athrun heard it. He turned, immediately spotting Miho standing six feet away from him. The boy had a mace in one hand and a kusarigama in another, which he had retrieved when Athrun was making his escape with the guards. It was rare for Miho to be able to obtain a weapon away from the training facility, but with the guards hurrying and an external attack happening outside, nobody paid him any mind. Only one guard did, and Miho had dealt with that man appropriately. He had no real experience with the kusarigama, which had been deemed as too dangerous for him to equip in his current condition, but he liked the feel of the weapon and couldn't help but bring it along – he was more familiar with a mace or a club, but this was his chance to test his skills. The kusarigama's blade flashed dangerously, attached to the chain that he was now holding to spin it around.

The facility shook again, and Athrun tensed. Someone was attacking the facility… But who? And why? In any case, he needed to get out quick before the facility was taken down. His eyes narrowed at the boy in front of him who was watching him curiously. The advantage of fighting against an enemy with a melee weapon was that Athrun could obtain the weapon and use it to his advantage… but handcuffed, it would be a harder trick. His eyes flashed at the chain that Miho was using to spin the kusarigama around. The boy was waiting for him to make the first move. Athrun did what he could – he immediately moved to his right, taking cover behind a computer just before it exploded above him, showering him with plastic, glass and metal. Sprinting forwards, Athrun dodged another throw of the weapon and it latched itself into the table beside him. His eyes flickered from the sharp blade to the handcuffs in front of him. Acting on pure impulse, he hooked the handcuffs to the blade, twisting so it would catch. Miho tugged, and the edge of the blade sliced cleanly through the skin of Athrun's arm, but it did what he wanted it to do as it unhooked itself from the table – it caught in the links of the handcuff. Athrun tugged hard and the blade cut into the metal, at the same time using the momentum to throw Miho off-balance. The boy released the chain, equipping the mace instead which he brought down. Athrun dodged, a hair width away from having his skull split open, but the force snapped the links and he rolled away, his hands finding the chain of the kusarigama which he pulled to have the weapon in his hands. Now he was armed.

Sweat poured down his face as he faced the child who did not even seem alarmed that his hands were no longer chained together. Instead, the boy's eyes were dreamy and faraway. The lights above them flickered – a few switched off as the facility continued to shake. Athrun faced the boy, and as Miho raced forwards, Athrun dropped down, lashing out with the chain instead of the blade, which twisted itself around the boy's ankle. He yanked hard, biting down as his shoulder protested painfully, and Miho, caught unbalanced, lashed out with the mace. Athrun dodged, but the backward motion had been too sudden and he stumbled slightly. His arm moved forward with the momentum, the blade of the kusarigama knocking a few computers down, crashing into the boy. Athrun backed away, pulling the blade with him.

There was probably no reason for Athrun to continue fighting the boy – if the boy did not escape, the facility, if taken down, would kill him. Judging by the situation, Athrun had high doubts that the facility could continue to hold on. He had heard the shouts, had heard the various corridors being sealed off from water that had escaped inside. He made his decision quickly, taking no more than a few seconds to do so – he turned and fled, and the boy did not give chase.

His observations earlier had been accurate. Athrun found the changing room quickly and he drove his fist into the stomach of the man standing there, far too quickly for the man to react. He was alone. He strapped himself into an atmospheric suit, which was far thicker than the standard pilot suit he usually wore and looked over the man that he had attacked earlier. The man had been about to put on his helmet, which contained the number 36 printed with a large, black print – out of instinct, Athrun reached for it and put it on. He discarded the kusarigama and raced through the corridors, locating the hangar easily – the facility was not large and only served the purpose in which it had been built for, which was to develop Extended Coordinators. The idea of an attack was nearly unthinkable, especially deep in the ocean. Someone had discovered their existence.

The hangar was chaotic, with mobile suits launching and engineers running around with damage reports. Athrun heard several reports about escape pods being launched and also the mentioning of the Earth Alliance, which surprised him. Had they been found out by the Earth Alliance? How? In any case, he needed to move.

"Roger! Hurry it up, the Earth Alliance will destroy us this time! Damn it, we're not even under the military! They have the nerve to do this!" someone shouted, shoving him forwards. Athrun gasped in surprise, the tinted surface of the helmet keeping his identity hidden. He was pulled to a mobile armour nearby, nowhere near equipped for battle even against Earth Alliance mobile suits – it was plainly a transport mobile armour, but it was all he had. Athrun climbed inside painfully, his shoulder protesting and strapped himself inside.

"_Wait! Wait! That guy isn't Roger!"_ a guard ran towards them, but it was far too late. Tired, angry, Athrun moved the mobile armour, his left hand moving quickly across the keyboard as he assessed the unit's capabilities. Very low. But enough.

He was perhaps just in time. Outside, something launched its missiles which finally went through to the facility, breaking through the walls. Water streamed inside instantly and Athrun watched as the engineers and guards were swept away. He powered the mobile armour which was only equipped with a pair of extending claws and a laser beam cannon. Firing, the wall broke through and Athrun pushed the speed of the mobile armour, exiting the facility and staying well near the ground as he tried to make his escape. His radar detected only a few Earth Alliance mobile suits, and even fewer ZAFT suits. There was no submarine that he could detect, but the external cameras of his mobile armour could easily make the remains of what was once a small carrier of the Earth Alliance, no doubt successfully taken down by the ZAFT units. He did not know what had taken place, nor did he know what else to expect… all Athrun knew was that he was escaping, and he hoped that nobody would give chase.

The base was destroyed. So was the Earth Alliance carrier. But some had survived from both sides, and from the facility, the survivors included Specimen A35 Miho and Rita Ash.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Ultimate Freedom &amp; Destiny Gaia (Present Day)<strong>

"_FREEDOM!_"

Kira's head snapped up in surprise and he immediately swerved as the Advocate lashed down with its beam saber. Clenching his teeth, Kira boosted his thrusters, leading the Advocate away from the battlefield. "Cagalli, I'll leave them to you!" he called, switching his railgun for his beam sabers.

"_Kira!_"

The Freedom turned sharply, facing the dark green Advocate. Instantly, another mobile suit joined in – this one the familiar dark red Apocalypse. Shinn's Destiny Gaia moved to the Freedom so they were back-to-back facing their enemies – the Zantetsuken and Imperial joining the battle. There was only one mobile suit missing from the _Renegade_'s ship, which was the Premium which may still be under repair. In a way, Kira was rather glad that the mobile suit wasn't in battle. He wondered how Shinn would fight with that mobile suit as an enemy.

"_Let's get them, Commander!_"

Shinn's voice immediately began the attack and Kira boosted his thrusters, his beam sabers out which instantly clashed against the Advocate. Gritting his teeth, Kira fired the cannons mounted on his shoulders and the Advocate moved back, dodging and releasing its missiles which Kira shot down with his DRAGOONs, locking and firing instantly. Alarms blared and Kira swerved just in time to avoid the claws of the Apocalypse. An image of a violet-coloured jewel exploded from the back of his mind and Kira turned, the heel of the Ultimate Freedom slamming against the Advocate while at the same time, the beam sabers were brought down, cutting off the right claw of the Apocalypse. Kira boosted his thrusters, locking all the armaments against the two and he fired, his eyes furious, the image of the Infinite Justice exploding in his mind. The right beam saber of the Advocate exploded, as well as the right missile pack, while the Apocalypse took more damage on its remaining claw.

Turning, the Ultimate Freedom shot forwards and Kira equipped his railguns, shooting at the Zantetsuken and the Imperial. They moved, and alarms blared as the Apocalypse closed in with its Voiture Lumiere propulsion system activated. Kira gritted his teeth, his sensors going haywire as it neared. The Advocate released its missiles and Kira flipped back, the DRAGOONs locking on the missiles which he then fired. The sound of the explosion was deafening, and as he flipped, the Destiny, transformed into its mobile armour form, raced forwards, firing with its cannon which hit the Apocalypse straight at the shoulder. The plan was perfectly executed, the Freedom acting as the shield that hid him from view.

Shinn smirked. "Where's your friend?" he asked, the Destiny transforming itself into its mobile suit form again. He equipped his rifles, shooting at the approaching ZAFT and Earth Alliance mobile suits that threatened to interfere with the battle. The Premium had not joined them in battle, and Shinn wondered why. He had been ready to face that pilot, to demand the truth and to fight against her if he needed to. Stellar was gone, and he wasn't going to delude himself any further. His red eyes moved to the Archangel momentarily, spotting Lunamaria's unit that was battling against the mobile suits that was attacking the red and white ship. He had made his decision.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 - Supreme Council Building, PLANTs (Present Day)<strong>

"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BASE WAS TAKEN DOWN?_" Amalfi shouted furiously, his clenched fists slamming down on the desk as he glared at Rita, displayed on the monitor in front of him. The woman had clearly been injured, but he cared not about that - the _base_. The base had been taken down! His facility, his work that he had invested for too many years with Patrick Zala, destroyed! He had only been there a few days ago - how could it possibly have been taken down like that?

"I thought you could tell me," Rita snapped angrily, her patience running thin. "The Earth Alliance came more or less right after you left!"

It was completely uncalled for, and Amalfi found that he had lost his trump card against the war. "What about Athrun?"

"Either he died, or he escaped," Rita said, her blue eyes burning. "You know, Zala began to attack the guards right before the Earth Alliance came with their mobile suits. Would you care to explain _that_?"

Athrun Zala teamed with the Earth Alliance? Amalfi quickly shook the thought from his mind. Utterly impossible! Athrun wasn't like that. Amalfi had no doubt whatsoever that Athrun hadn't been involved. Perhaps the Coordinator took advantage of the situation... but Rita had specifically said that Athrun began his escape _before_ the Earth Alliance attacked... was it possible? No, it couldn't be.

Clenching his fists together, Amalfi stared at the woman in front of him. "What about Miho?"

"He's with me right now... though not in the best of conditions. He fought with Zala."

"And..?" Amalfi prompted. "I would have expected him capable of handling Athrun," he said coldly.

Rita narrowed her eyes. The man in front of her was beginning to really test her patience. "With all due respect, Miho is still a prototype, far from the perfect FIGHTER. Without the correct briefing, he was unable to face the situation as he should," she said quietly. That was what you get with weapons with no identity or self. Miho was nothing much more than a weapon that needed input in order to attack. It wasn't the FIGHTER's fault that he could not respond to the situation correctly. Miho was highly experimental. They were far from able in creating the perfect FIGHTER, though Rita believed that Athrun might have been a perfect FIGHTER if only they had been able to work with him long enough. That was the problem with prototypes - usually, they fail.

He had his decision. It was the only one left, after all. The Earth Alliance had been getting ready in annihilating the Coordinators with their new weapon, and he must retaliate in the same way. He had no doubt that within hours, news and the truth of the FIGHTERs would be broadcasted everywhere. He must fight, he must wipe out the remaining Naturals. The war had escalated, and there was no way the Naturals would stand down once they found out the truth behind his actions. It was simply too late to turn back now.

"Prepare Miho for the Terminate. I want an attack on the Suez base as well."

"What? But we -"

"It's over," Amalfi said quietly.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – <em>Renegade<em> (Present Day)**

"We have orders to retreat, and we will - you probably can have a maximum of just ten minutes out there," Daisuke frowned as he stared at the blonde-haired Extended in front of him. The Premium's damages were terrible, and it was only a few minutes ago that Liesel had been given the green light that allowed her to launch. But Daisuke had received warning from Sethe, and he knew that Liesel still wasn't fully prepared for battle. But ten minutes... he could allow that.

"Ten minutes will do. I need to speak to the pilot of the Destiny," Liesel said, her pink-ish violet eyes unwavering.

Daisuke pursed his lips. That made sense. If Liesel could somehow talk the Destiny out from fighting, then the Archangel would be weakened immensely. The Apocalypse had already docked a few minutes ago after receiving a very heavy blow from the Freedom. He sighed. "Ten minutes, and then retreat. Remember that you are not fully prepared for battle yet," Daisuke allowed. Ten minutes was long enough for her to do what she needed to do. Besides, she had already made her decision, strapped in her pilot suit and all.

"The Archangel has locked onto us!"

"Evade! Thirty degrees port! Isolde, fire!" Sethe commanded, his blue eyes icy as he commanded the ship. "Cut them off. Prepare the Parcifal!" Liesel turned and ran out of the bridge.

Daisuke gripped the handles of his seat as the _Renegade_ moved unsteadily, the Archangel's Valiants grazing the side of the ship. They had received the order from PLANTs to prepare an attack on the Eurasian Suez base, and he knew that the Phaedra facility had been destroyed. Daisuke had yet to learn the full story, and he would command the ship to retreat soon enough. Suez had been one of the main bases to send out mobile suits to assist the resistance fighters in Eurasia, but he couldn't help but shake off the feeling that the attack was more than that. As RENEGADE, it was their duty to support whatever actions could lead to the separation of both Naturals and Coordinators, but this... He would need to consult Amalfi further to learn of the truth. He wondered if Athrun Zala had survived.

.

_"We're equipping the Premium with the Haste RENEGADE Pack. You have strict orders to return quickly to the ship once the mission is done,_" Schellen informed.

"Roger," Liesel answered. As the mobile suit was transported to the catapult system, Liesel adjusted the controls to better suit the Haste pack and activated the Phase Shift armour of the mobile suit. "Liesel Asien. Premium. Launching!"

Liesel activated the Voiture Lumiere propulsion system as soon as she was catapulted out of the Minerva-class ship, boosting her thrusters and immediately locating the black and gold Destiny. It was fighting against the Zantetsuken and Liesel immediately took out her beam sabers, coming right in between the two mobile suits and catching the Destiny off-guard. In its haste, the Destiny had turned, and Liesel had managed to cut off the side of his wing. "Move back, Tierra! This one is mine!" she hissed.

_"About time. Take him down,"_ Tierra said, his voice cool as he turned and moved the Zantetsuken to the Freedom, already engaged with the Advocate and the Imperial.

Liesel turned her eyes back to the Destiny. "Destiny pilot. Shinn Asuka. Can you hear me?" she asked.

There was a brief silence, and the Destiny took out its beam rifle, bringing it up to aim at her. "_What do you want?_"

"My name is Liesel Asien. Third-stage Extended, developed from Stellar Louisser. Shinn Asuka... Why are you fighting with the Archangel?"

"_What?_" the pilot snapped incredulously.

She had read the reports about him. She knew about his actions, about what he had fought for and why. She knew what had taken place in Onogoro, the most likely explanation for what had happened. She knew what he had done for Stellar Louisser... "You're being used by the Archangel," Liesel said slowly, noticing that the Destiny was still pointing its weapon at her. "I have doubts that you know the truth about that ship."

"_What are you talking about?_" the pilot spat angrily. But Shinn could not bring himself to fire. Not yet...

"Don't you know the real identity of the man who promised that Stellar would no longer fight?" Liesel asked, holding her breath. The Destiny's arm moved slightly, almost as if it was now having second thoughts in shooting. With her next words, the rifle was lowered; "Don't you know what really happened in Onogoro and who might be the one who killed your family?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>I'm actually feel rather sad that Athrun escaped before he could turn into a full Extended Coordinator/FIGHTER. It would definitely have been interesting to see him fighting Kira, but then again, it would have taken the point of this fic out, which you'll come to understand in later chapters. Maybe I should create an AU fic after this where Athrun becomes the bad guy. XD Anyway, the words of you readers and reviewers really motivated me to keep on working and writing this fic until the very end. You're so awesome! Honestly, I don't know what I would do without you all readers and reviewers. The encouragement and criticisms given are really appreciated, without which I'd probably have stopped writing by now, so I thank you all for staying with me still. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter predicted to be uploaded by 14th October.

The greatest thanks goes to IgNighted, PrincessOfDestiny14, AngelicFox12, WraithFive, AWESOME, Atlantislux, Maderfole, San 017 and Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius for the reviews dropped for the last chapter. And I also thank those who read and reviewed my latest oneshot, Piloting the Justice – to those who haven't read it yet, if you liked my interpretation of Athrun in this story, I recommend you reading it as there are also some AsuCaga moments in it. In any case, thank you for reading and reviewing, and many thanks to those who favourite-d and alert-ed. Please drop a review behind and let me know how you liked this chapter? Stay tuned!

* * *

><p><strong>AWESOME:<strong> Heheh. I agree. Kira _is_ boss, though he has yet to show his full power, which you'll all definitely see in the next few battles. In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**San 017:** Thanks for the review! I'd always love to hear your thoughts regardless, San 017. :) I wish I could have created an OC for Waltfeld, but I've always seen him as a one woman guy who could never find it in his heart to replace Aisha. In any case, thanks so much for the words of encouragement! I really appreciate it.


	18. PHASE 17: To Keep On Fighting

**PHASE SEVENTEEN: To Keep On Fighting**

**Eurasian Federation – Arkangelsk, Russia (Present Day)**

Coughing and wet, Athrun hoisted himself up the bank of the Northern Divina River, immediately shivering as he discarded the atmospheric suit into the water. Say what you will, Coordinators just weren't designed to withstand such cold weathers devoid of proper clothing without at least shivering – a Natural might have died from the cold by now, and Athrun knew that it was only a matter of time before hypothermia kicked in if he was to stay put like this. At least the mobile armour had managed to transport him safely enough before finally running out of power. If he had escaped through the facility without battle, the machine might have been able to operate for a little longer. Unfortunately, for Athrun, as he was making his escape from the ZAFT Phaedra base, he had been spotted by an Earth Alliance mobile suit that was scouring the depths of the sea and had immediately engaged him in battle. It had been a rough battle, but Athrun was thankful that the unit was more an observation unit than a fighter – equipped with minimal weapons, it had been a rough fight that he thought he would not be able to survive with the limitations of his mobile armour. But it had held, and he survived with no other battle as he turned and fled.

Athrun gritted his teeth as he straightened, the bullet wound in his shoulder throbbing. He had managed to secure a pressure pad onto it and did the best he could in treating the wound, but he knew that he needed to find medical aid somewhere to have it properly treated. Even in war, bullet wounds were still suspicious, and he knew that he couldn't get medical aid here… at least not in a hospital. He would need to find somewhere and someone who would be able to help him.

Shaking his head, Athrun looked around at the houses that dotted the side of the river. In places like these, where cold temperatures made it impossible to dry clothes outside unlike in Orb, it was difficult for Athrun to be able to find something warmer for him to wear. He was moneyless, shivering, but above all, he could not control his senses properly. The enhancing drug had done something to him, and he could feel the changes as clear as if someone had cured him from a previous blindness that he never knew he had. His body began to warm slightly, responding to the climate and he shivered again, more from the perplexity of the situation than the cold.

Athrun climbed to his feet, casting his eyes on the sky above him. It was light, and he would have guessed that it was still afternoon though there wasn't much activity where he was. He looked down, frowning at the clothes he was wearing – a pair of trousers and a shirt that was far too thin for this place that might attract attention to himself. Spotting a bin nearby, Athrun walked over to it and pulled out a crumpled newspaper, skimming through. He had been taken away from the Archangel for almost three weeks. He was in a place called Arkangelsk, Russia. Athrun nearly laughed at the discovery. The irony of being taken away from his ship, only to arrive at a city that shared the same name as it, was laughable. But he knew enough about Arkangelsk and knew of it as being one of the main interchanges for those who liked to travel – Arkangelsk houses an airport, a bullet train station and an underground shuttle. Out of the three, the best means of transportation for one without identification papers would definitely be the bullet train station, where security was most lenient in the Eurasian Federation.

His mind made the calculations as he walked. To the Mahamul base located in Iran, he would probably take around ten hours on the bullet train in order to arrive, with interchange stations in Saratov and Tabriz… then most likely getting off at either Baghdad or Esfahan. That was, assuming that the Archangel _was_ still in Iran. Athrun clenched his teeth, frustrated now. He would just have to do his best. Stealing a mobile suit here was possible, but it was entirely too likely that he would be shot down. Or maybe the battery would die before he arrived. Or maybe the power output of the thrusters' mobility would not hold. His best chances would lie in Iran, where there were larger military bases he could infiltrate, especially when the battles were mostly there. Staying here, in Arkangelsk, would do him no good. He just had no idea when this place would come under attack – or even if it _would_ come under attack.

First things first, Athrun needed a change of warmer clothes and medical aid. He would then need to get onto the train and hope that he could somehow get himself back on the Archangel.

* * *

><p><strong>Eurasian Federation – <strong>_**Archangel**_** (Present Day)**

"Commander Flaga!" Kira jumped from the lever of his Ultimate Freedom, instantly running towards the blonde-haired pilot who climbed down from the Gaia Gundam. "What happened?" Kira asked, perplexed more than ever with the turn of events. They had engaged forces from ZAFT and the Earth Alliance earlier, fighting alongside the resistance groups there, when all of a sudden the _Renegade_ ordered retreat even though they hadn't exactly been losing the battle. It surprised everyone there, how sudden the other Gundams had turned and returned back to the flagship, leaving the Archangel and the resistance groups completely baffled – still, it was something akin to victory for the resistance groups, who immediately shouted their cries of triumph. Kira thought otherwise.

"Beats me. I want to know why they turned around myself," Mu answered, his brows pulled together in unease. Something was wrong.

The Destiny Gaia docked into the Archangel hangar, followed by the Akatsuki. In the cockpit, Shinn's hands gripped the controls of the Destiny tight as he breathed, the words of Liesel coming back to his mind again. He raised his head slightly, his angry blood-red eyes darting to Kira and Mu who were talking down below. Shinn focused on the blonde-haired man… the man who had looked so very familiar to him, yet there was no way of him knowing the real identity of the man, for the man had been masked when Shinn had met him during the second war: Neo Roanoke.

Neo… The man whom Stellar had called out for constantly when she had been captured by the _Minerva_, the man whom Shinn had trusted fully to keep her away from the battlefield, only to see her again so soon after in the Destroy Gundam that now rampaged across the lands of the Earth… He couldn't understand. What was Neo doing with the Archangel above all others? Why hadn't he said anything? And Kira… his Commander… Since the second war, Shinn had never fully understood his hatred behind the Freedom Gundam. He couldn't understand why it was that Gundam above all that had always angered him, had always sparked the hatred in him… But of course, now he understood. He had seen the Freedom Gundam during the first war, right after his family was killed in front of him. The Freedom had been fighting against a teal mobile suit then… A first-stage Extended by the name of Orga Sabnak, according to the pilot of the Premium, who had been piloting the GAT-X131 Calamity. The details had been taken, for they had strayed far from attacking the military installation of Orb. And it had been fighting against the ZGMF-X10A Freedom at the time, then piloted by Kira Yamato.

Shinn could feel the weight of the pink handphone that was in his chest pocket, the item that he had kept near to him ever since the end of the second war, to remind him of what he was fighting for. But this… this was too far. He felt betrayed. How could he expect to keep on fighting against people who kept on using him and his capabilities? Was this why Lacus Clyne had wanted him to stay near Kira? So he could fight with his abilities under her, believing it was right? But how could it be right, when there were people like Neo Roanoke involved? Shinn was confused. Above all, he was angered. Angered beyond belief, especially now, when he knew who was most likely responsible for his family's death.

All pilots had a standard gun that they carry around with them, and one that was stored inside their mobile suit units in cases of emergency. He took his, weighing the weapon in his hands, his eyes hard as he glared at the two pilots in front of him. He had no idea what he wanted to do… but his emotions were making him act, and he had no intention of stopping them.

Shinn deactivated his Destiny, climbing out of the cockpit of the Gundam and grasping the lever. With his free hand, he took off his helmet, which he threw as soon as his feet touched the ground. He heard a familiar voice calling him – Lunamaria – but this he ignored and he proceeded to walk towards the two talking pilots.

Kira was the first to spin – a sudden turn, his eyes alert, most likely trained during the war for his sixth sense to kick in when danger was near. Shinn raised his gun as soon as the brown-haired Coordinator turned, and Kira's eyes narrowed slightly though he did not look in the least alarmed or surprised. If anything, that angered Shinn even more as he loaded the gun, moving his arm to point the nozzle at Mu… at Neo Roanoke.

"Shinn!" Cagalli's voice reached his ears. From the corner of his eye, Shinn saw the golden-haired girl, clad in her pink pilot uniform, running towards them, only to stop short when Kira held his arm out as a signal for her to stop. His calmness infuriated him. Lunamaria stopped beside Cagalli, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Shinn… What's going on?" Kira asked, his voice quiet.

"Shut up," Shinn snapped, his grip unsteady as his hand shook. _What are you doing, Shinn? Stop it! Stop it!_ "You…" Shinn said, his eyes on the blonde pilot, "Neo Roanoke… Is that right?"

Surprise crossed Mu's face, and Cagalli began to protest. But the blonde Natural merely stepped forward, his eyes hard. "I was," he admitted.

Five years had passed. Five years, and the anger and hatred never died… Why? Why was it so hard for him to let go of his anger and pain? "You promised me Stellar would never fight again," he said angrily.

"I promised she would be in a world where she is safe… This place isn't it, not for her," Mu replied evenly. There were so many things he did not understand, it was comical. What Kira had been through. What Athrun had been through. What Mu had been through. What everyone had been through. But he could not help but feel utterly betrayed, that in the course of these five years, he had never known anything that he should have known. Was it because it was useless? Was it because their deaths had been pointless, just collateral damage in war? His parents. Stellar. Mayu…

Shinn turned the gun to Kira. "Kira Yamato… You… Is it true you were fighting against the Calamity in Onogoro during the first war?"

Most pilots would remember trademark battles they had participated in, but it was highly unlikely that they would remember their enemies… even if they were Coordinators. But Kira, Shinn knew, remembered all his enemies, remembered all those he had killed in war. He was such a person, and Shinn saw the recognition in Kira's eyes as he nodded, admitting that he had been in the battle. He hated Kira for remembering. He hated Kira for being the kind of fighter he was. "My family was killed in Onogoro," Shinn said, the gun shaking hard now as the memories, the nightmares he had had every night, came back to him. "We were running away from the battle that took place in Onogoro's military installation. But there were two mobile suits near us… My family was murdered," Shinn managed. Kira's brows pulled together.

"I fought in Onogoro in the Freedom," Kira answered.

He had. The Freedom had been the only mobile suit close to his family at the time, fighting against the Calamity. All these years, Shinn had stayed far from wanting to learn about the battle in Onogoro. He had refused to look at close-up scenes, at the details of battles, merely because every time he tried, he would get nightmares. But now the truth was known to him, it was impossible for him to step down and refuse to take action. He remembered those nightmares… His sister, armless, crawling towards him covered in blood, asking why she had to die, why he didn't protect her… He had enlisted in ZAFT due to that nightmare, and now…

"Shinn!" Cagalli shouted angrily. "What are you –"

Reaching into his chest pocket, Shinn grabbed Mayu's pink handphone and flipped it open, showing the screensaver to his Commander. "Look. _LOOK_. This is Mayu… My sister… She was in Onogoro. She was _murdered in Onogoro_!" Shinn shouted, his hand shaking hard. Even if he were to release the trigger, the chance that the bullet would miss was very high.

_"Hi! Mayu here! Sorry, I can't talk to you right now. I'll call you back later. Please leave your name after the beep!"_

The silence that followed the voice recording was ghostly, and Shinn found that he could not breathe properly. Kira's eyes were hard and emotionless amethyst orbs as he stared at the black-haired Coordinator. "You have reason to shoot me," he said quietly. He had said the same words to Waltfeld during the first war, and he watched as Shinn's shoulders shook, the tears brimming his eyes as he said those words again now.

The bang was deafening in the hangar of the Archangel. Shinn dropped the gun, shocked, and slumped down as Kira staggered slightly, a hand pressed to the side of his arm where the bullet had grazed it.

"_KISAMA!_" Shinn registered a flash of pink and gold as he was grabbed roughly by the collar, the gun kicked away in a precise kick by the golden-haired Representative. "Shinn, you..!"

"Cagalli, stop it," Kira's voice interrupted her.

Shinn turned his eyes to his Commander. "Why..?" he asked, getting to his feet. The shock turned into pure anger instantly. "WHY? Why didn't you dodge that bullet? What if it hit you? How were you going to fight if you died?" Shinn shouted furiously, his face just inches from Kira's. How _dare_ he! After all that Kira had told him during those five years when he had been his subordinate, how dare he back down now and allow himself to be killed by an act of revenge!

Kira's eyes softened as he regarded Shinn. "I know you would have fought," he said softly.

Angered, frustrated, betrayed, Shinn clenched his teeth and walked clenched his fist tight. It took only a split second for him to land the punch on Kira's face, and he noted with satisfaction the look of surprise on his Commander's face as Kira staggered back. "If you say you're fighting for peace, then you should have stopped me!" Shinn spat angrily. "You go around carrying those ideals of having a peaceful world, so act like you mean it! Otherwise, I will definitely defeat you!"

The other Coordinator raised his eyebrows and straightened, shaking his head with a small smile. "You're right. I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

He wanted to punch the Coordinator again. He wanted to kill them both, if he could. Instead, Shinn turned and left the hangar, his heart beating fast, not even bothering to slow down as Lunamaria chased after him.

* * *

><p><strong>Eurasian Federation – Arkangelsk, Russia (Present Day)<strong>

As a former elite soldier of ZAFT, Athrun had been trained to trust less and to suspect even more. But one lesson he had often forgot was that some people helped strangers without needing reason to do so. Behind all the hatred, the pain, the loss, the war, some people could just offer a helping hand and seek no benefits from it. Kindness was not lost, and Athrun was particularly saddened by the fact that he often forgot that. He looked up from where he sat, his nails digging deep into his palm as the bullet was removed from his wound. The girl was ranting and complaining, but then again, she had ranted and complained since she discovered him when she had been walking past him earlier. The blood stain on his shirt hadn't exactly been inconspicuous, and he was extremely thankful that she was a nurse – she had insisted on helping him, and he had refused, as usual, only to be forcefully pulled as she ranted and scolded him.

Her name was Lenore, another ironic discovery of finding one who shared his mother's name in a place called Arkangelsk. They both had tried different languages before finally settling to a common lingua franca, and he watched her as she worked on his wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding as she bandaged him tightly. The girl had a fiancée… a man who had enlisted in the Earth Alliance, and had not returned since for months now, though she still waited for him. Athrun remembered how Lacus had been in a similar position so many years ago and silently, he wondered how those who had suffered so much had been able to continue spreading kindness to the world.

"I think that settles it, Alex. There are probably some clothes in that wardrobe that can fit you – have a look and take what you need," Lenore said, clearing away the stained cloths and equipment she had used earlier. "I suppose you won't be staying for a night?"

Athrun shook his head. "No, I've intruded for long enough. Sorry," he apologised, smiling slightly at her.

"Nonsense. I can see that you're eager to return somewhere… You have someone waiting for you?" Lenore guessed, arching an eyebrow.

Athrun felt his cheeks colour slightly. "I have," he admitted.

Lenore stood, carrying the basin of water and things with her. "That's nice," she said, smiling so sincerely that Athrun knew she meant it. "I'll be downstairs. Feel free to shower first, and then you can leave," she said, turning and closing the door behind her.

His gaze lingered at the door, even when it had long closed behind her. With a small sigh, Athrun stood, casting his eyes in the small room he was in. Apparently, the room belonged to her fiancée, very simply furnished with a bed, a wardrobe, a desk where a computer sat and three bookcases that were filled with books covering various subjects. He felt odd and out-of-place in such a seemingly peaceful city, and he wanted to return to the Archangel as soon as possible. Walking over to the wooden wardrobe, Athrun opened the door and was immediately greeted with a number of Earth Alliance uniforms that was hung neatly. His eyes softened at the sight and he looked away, hoping that the girl's fiancée was still alive, as he pulled out a dark green sweater and a cream vest, thick enough to keep him warm. Pictures of the missing fiancée decorated the room – pictures of him graduating as a soldier of the Alliance, pictures of him in an engagement party, pictures of him holding Lenore in his arms… He was a man with golden hair and eyes, almost typically the same as Patrick Zala's hair and eyes, and Athrun immediately felt the dull ache in his chest. He closed the door and exited the room, descending the stairs to where the girl was standing.

She was pouring him a cup of tea when she looked up, immediately brightening at the sight of him. "Well, you look much better!"

Athrun smiled slightly as he looked at her. "Thank you…" he trailed off. "I should leave now."

Lenore sighed. "I know. We have not met before this… and I doubt that we'll meet again. But I can sense that you have something important you must do," she said, leading him to the door and opening it. As he stepped out, she grabbed his arm, handing him a black coat. "You'll need it," she said kindly. "But before you leave… can I just have your name? Your real name, not Alex Dino," she said softly.

He was surprised. Maybe because she was a Natural, maybe because of this whole thing that had been unexpected, but he was surprised. "My name is Athrun Zala," Athrun said, the mentioning of his last name bringing the ache in his chest again. "I'm a soldier from Orb… I'm a Coordinator. I used to be a soldier in ZAFT… and I might be one of the people fighting your fiancée."

The girl stared at him, her blue eyes reminding him of Lacus. "I see," she said eventually, smiling pleasantly. "Thank you, Athrun. You might also be the person who saves my fiancée without knowing it," she said, moving to close the door. Before she did so, she paused. "I hope we'll meet again."

* * *

><p><strong>ZAFT Kaohsiung Base, Japan (Present Day)<strong>

When Professor Rita arrived at ZAFT's Kaohsiung Base, redirected by Yuri Amalfi after she had escaped from Phaedra's base, she could not deny the bubbling anger that coursed through her veins. Not only was she ordered to send her one and only FIGHTER into battle, she was asked to do so immediately… personally, she believed that Amalfi had gone insane. She exhaled loudly as she slumped back against her bed in the room provided, massaging her temples as she did so. What Amalfi wanted from her was insane. FIGHTERs had not been sent into battle for the obvious reason that they were unstable and unable to act as how they should act. The way Miho had been unable to act with stability in Phaedra's base should be enough proof of that. So why the hell was she supposed to send Miho out into battle in his current state? The only thing the boy could do was to cause absolute devastation… then again, that may be what Amalfi had been planning for. The attack on Phaedra's base was uncalled for, and even Rita could not have seen it coming.

"Is something wrong?"

The question startled her and Rita immediately straightened, wide-eyed as she stared at Miho. He had been resting earlier, sleeping rather peacefully and clouded with drugs. She did not expect him to wake so soon… then again, since the occurrence in Phaedra's Base, Miho hadn't exactly been much like himself. He had been slightly… strange. Enough to make Rita extremely worried about his condition. She looked at him, forcing a smile though she knew he wouldn't miss the awkwardness – those eyes of his missed nothing, even if he doesn't understand the emotions behind them. "Nothing's wrong, Miho."

"I don't like lies."

Rita sighed. It was as she had feared – he had seen right through her, though unlike most humans who would undoubtedly guess the emotions behind what they could observe, Miho had the tendency to ask straight out. "Are you ready to go into battle?"

There was a small gleam behind the fierce eyes. "You know I am."

There was no way for her to wriggle out of it. Unprepared as he was, Miho was going to be sent out as the weapon he was. He was absolutely lethal with melee weapons – Rita could only fear how long-range weapons would be handled by the fighter. If he was in any way as dangerous as he was with the range of melee weapons Rita had trained him with, then long-range weapons would be much more terrifying. "If you think you're ready, then I suggest you go and prepare yourself," Rita said coolly, dismissing him. Acting pure on orders, Miho turned, leaving her in peace.

As soon as the door shut behind the Coordinator, Rita turned to the television, pressing the button of the remote as she did so. Her mind was buzzing. She wondered if Athrun Zala was behind the destruction done in Phaedra's Base, unlikely as it was. Then again, according to history, Athrun Zala had achieved many different things in the past. Things that was very much impossible, along with the pilot of the Freedom. The Freedom. Rita's eyes narrowed as she clenched her fists together. The way the world was going, she believed that there was no option left but to wipe the Naturals off from the Earth… that certainly seemed like Amalfi's way of thinking. And in order to achieve that, it would be most advisable if one were to bring the Freedom down.

Her attention was taken as soon as an emergency broadcast interrupted the channel she had been gazing at. Steel blue eyes darkened slightly at the news as the production of the Extended Coordinators were shown to the world. Miho might be the only one who ever survived the tests, but the damage had been done. People hated Coordinators. Now, they would want nothing more than to wipe them out. There was simply no turning back, no matter how wrong the perceptions were, no matter how much plans had been changed,

Her phone rang, and she answered in a heartbeat. "Yes? Yes… He's ready. I don't care if we have to do it by force, we're taking him out."

* * *

><p><strong>Eurasian Federation – Viewing Deck, <strong>_**Archangel**_** (Present Day)**

Red eyes opened slowly and gazed at the ceiling of the viewing deck of the Archangel as the ship moved slowly – to where, Shinn did not know. He cursed at himself for his actions, yet at the same time, he felt oddly satisfied with himself… almost at peace, as if a large burden had been lifted off his shoulders. It was as if something had been compressing his heart all this time, and he had released it finally when, for once, he did not fight due to his hatred, no matter how much he despised the events that he had been through. Five years was a long time, but time would only pass when one allows it to pass. Now, Shinn fully believed that he could finally be at peace… That he had somehow done Stellar and Mayu justice, though how exactly, he did not know.

When the whirring sound of the door sliding open reached his ears, Shinn did not turn. He merely sighed, loudly, as he closed his eyes again. "Sorry, Luna. Can you leave me for a while?" he asked.

"Ara… I'm afraid Lunamaria is not here. I can find her for you if you wish," a melodious voice startled the black-haired Coordinator, who instantly jumped to his feet, his eyes open in disbelief as the door slid shut behind Lacus.

"L-Lacus-sama… I'm sorry, I thought you were –" Shinn shook his head quickly, gaining his composure again. Was she lost? It seemed unlikely. Yet here she was, right here, with _him_ of all people. Shinn was never close to Lacus. The songstress had always seemed to be in a position that was far too high for him to converse with freely, but he wasn't an idiot not to know her relationship with Kira. Hell, the whole of ZAFT pretty much knew it. "What are you doing here?" Shinn asked flatly.

A small smile crossed Lacus's face which made Shinn narrow his eyes even further. Lacus was often known as the person who could see right into a person's soul, or even have the ability to somehow know what was going through a person's mind, and Shinn was no exception to her talents. As he looked into her azure eyes, he could have sworn that she was able to understand him better than anyone else… apart from Luna, that was. The expression of pure gentleness on her face was unnerving, especially when she paused before saying anything to him. At times like these, Shinn had to admit he would much prefer Cagalli's company than Lacus's.

"Are you alright, Shinn?" the question threw him off, even if he should have expected it.

Defensive now, Shinn turned his eyes away, scowling. "Of course I am. Why shouldn't I be?"

"To forgive and forget is a very noble thing to do. It is not easy."

"Who says anything about forgiving and forgetting?" Shinn snapped, annoyed.

The small smile appeared again. Shinn clenched his fists. Lacus's smile was knowing and she regarded him closely. "Thank you," she said quietly.

As Lacus moved to sit on the seat beside him, Shinn narrowed his eyes accusingly. "Why? I shot at Kira. I threatened to kill him," he said pointedly.

"But you didn't. And you're still here, fighting."

It annoyed him to acknowledge how right she was. It angered him when he realised that he just did not have the ability to fire the gun at Kira. All those years as Kira's subordinate, he had walked around the _Aurora_ and heard some of the workers talking about the nightmares Kira faced in his dreams. He heard them when he was on the Archangel as well, though they weren't as often as he thought they might be. But the dreams constantly disturbed the brown-haired Coordinator, and knowing that, it was impossible for Shinn to hate Kira for what he was fighting for. Kira never forgot the people he killed. It was something Shinn had come to learn through experience, and he could well see the haunted look of a fighter in Kira's eyes, so different to the photograph he had seen those few months ago when he had joined the Archangel.

Shinn bowed his head, finding no words to snap back at the knowing songstress. As if already making her point, Lacus stood, laying a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and she beamed at him, making him frown. There were no words exchanged between them, though their eyes had already said everything. Shinn would continue to fight, and Kira would be by his side. For what it was worth, the past had already gone and it was time to forget about old wounds. Wounds heal, but scars remain, yet the only thing one should do with scars was to remind themselves how it had been obtained so they could prevent it in the future. Lacus left, and Luna entered, much to Shinn's surprise. The pale red-haired Coordinator had been listening, most likely by Lacus's instruction, Shinn was sure.

"Luna…" He stood, walking over to her. "Sorry," he muttered wretchedly.

The bright Coordinator merely grinned at him. "You've really done it this time, Shinn," she said lightly.

He frowned. "Well, it wasn't exactly my fault that things turned out this way," Shinn said bitterly.

Luna rolled her eyes. "Sure it wasn't," she answered, all-too-familiar with his attitude. Acting on impulse, she kissed him quickly, surprising him. "Idiot," Luna laughed, hugging him tight as he pulled her into his arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Eurasian Federation – Cafeteria, <strong>_**Archangel**_** (Present Day)**

The red stain was too bright against Kira's white ZAFT uniform, and Cagalli glared daggers at it, already giving up hope that the amethyst eyes would be defeated by her golden orbs. At least Kira had allowed her to bandage the wound – that in itself was enough of an accomplishment for Cagalli. But she wasn't fully satisfied, and she pursed her lips as the anger at her brother's stubbornness dug into her. There were only three of them – Mu, Kira and Cagalli inside the Archangel's cafeteria. They had unconsciously moved there after the confrontation with Shinn and had sat in silence – Kira had said nothing when Cagalli worked on his wound, but he did not respond either when she asked him to change into something else. After so many attempts on her part, Cagalli found herself admitting defeat.

The silence was profound.

"I knew it was wrong – what they were doing to Stellar, Auel, Sting…" Mu said quietly, raising his blue eyes to Kira. "Then again, back then, I felt sorry for them. They could not survive in the real world without fighting… Extendeds are designed to fight. For whatever reason they were created, it's the only thing they are able to do. I'm not sure they are even human, even if that kid believed that they were. As far as the Earth Alliance is concerned, those children are nothing but weapons similar to a mobile suit on autopilot."

Kira raised his eyes to the blue-eyed pilot in front of him. He couldn't shake off the image of Mayu from his mind. And the three Extendeds… he had heard about them from Athrun during the second war, especially about the blonde-haired girl, Stellar. "Mu-san… How do they actually produce the Extendeds?" Kira asked curiously.

Mu shook his head. "I don't know the exact details, unfortunately. But from what I know, Extendeds are created from children, trained to kill and modified chemically with ways that pushes their potential high and turns them into vicious fighters. The process is terrible… but the base for Extendeds was taken down, and ZAFT discovered them during the second war. I knew it was only too good to be true if they only had one base that develops those things. But Stellar, Auel and Sting were special – they could think and react to situations even though they had many weaknesses as weapons," he explained, his hand moving to rest against his forehead. A small laugh escaped Mu's lips. "I sound as if I'm labelling them as something other than human."

Were they human? That was the question that crossed Mu's mind as the image of Stellar came back to him. He had always been very fond of the pilot, with her pretty pink-ish violet eyes. Stellar had trusted him completely in everything, and he had tried his best to care for her, even with his other self, conflicted as he was. "I wonder where you draw the line between what is human and what is not. Is the line the Naturals? Or do they end with the existence of Coordinators? Even I can't say so for sure," Mu said darkly.

Kira turned his eyes away. Even he was unable to answer that question just now. Mu said that the Extendeds were developed from children. Children who, once upon a time, had their own lives away from the battlefield, much like himself. What if someone he knew was turned into an Extended? What if it was someone he loved, or someone he cared for? Would he be able to categorise them as something other than human?

"If they have something to fight for, if they have dreams and desires, if they can feel… then they are human," Lacus's voice made them turn as she entered the cafeteria, Murrue by her side. Lacus's smile was gentle, as it usually was, as she approached them. But the sorrow was clear in her azure eyes, no matter how pleasant her smile was. "The war has gone on for too long now. I'm sure that even they don't want to fight if they are given the chance," she said softly.

Remembering Stellar's fear of death, how she had fought because of that fear, Mu couldn't help but agree. "I guess you're right," he sighed.

"Kira…" Lacus called, moving to the young pilot's side. Kira recognised the worry on her face.

"I'm fine," he said, rising to his feet. "Don't worry, Lacus." Turning his gaze on Mu, Kira's eyes hardened. "In any case, it's time we end all this," he said determinedly.

The sound of running footsteps made Kira turn before he had a chance to continue and a few seconds later, Miriallia appeared at the doorway of the cafeteria, breathless. "Kira… Everyone… I think you should see this," the brown-haired girl said, running over to the side of the cafeteria, activating the television system. A screen was lowered, and with the press of a few buttons, the news of the Extended Coordinators was broadcasted around the Archangel's cafeteria. Kira's face changed immediately, the small hint of fury in his eyes as he clenched his fists tight. "Those are… developed Coordinators…" he said, his voice angered. "What do they think they're _doing_?"

Lacus's brows pulled together as she listened to the news. "Everyone will be restless when they see this…" she whispered quietly.

"One thing for sure, the Alliance won't be taking this lightly," Mu said, furious now. Natural Extendeds were bad enough, but Coordinators? "Though they mentioned no survivors…" he said quietly, still listening.

"Even so, there's still that possibility," Murrue interjected. "The war is changing its course into a different direction."

* * *

><p><strong>Eurasian Federation – Bullet Train (Present Day)<strong>

Sitting right at the very end of the carriage of the bullet train, Athrun raised his head slightly as his ears caught the news that was being broadcasted around the Eurasian Federation. His green eyes flickered to the screen of the television, watching as the announcement was made, watching as people found more excuses for war. What had been the real reason why they began fighting, anyway? Was it because of Junius Seven? Was it because of the previous deaths, caused by virus outbreaks? Or did it go much deeper? Out of fear? Lack of understanding? Just needing to find something to hate?

Athrun turned his eyes away from the screen as he listened to the news. The discovery was nowhere near as solid as the discovery of the Extendeds during the second war, but Athrun knew that even rumours were enough to trigger hatred… and during war, hatred immediately equalled to deaths.

He leaned back, tightening the black jacket around him as he travelled. He listened to what discoveries they had made – very few compared to what he himself knew, and he allowed himself to feel slightly grateful about that. Athrun gazed at his hand that was clenching the jacket tightly. He had felt the changes, no matter how hard he refused to believe it. That fight after he had escaped from Phaedra's Base… even as skilled a pilot as he was, surviving in such an inferior mobile armour was pushing his luck – for Kira, it might be possible by a hair's width, but for him… even Athrun knew that attempting such a thing was pushing his luck. Never mind that, fighting against Miho himself had proven to be enough of a feat. He had seen how fast the boy could move, but he had survived with no real wounds to mention.

What terrified Athrun the most was his inability to kill the boy, much as how he knew the boy could not kill him.

Silently, Athrun wondered if that was the facility's way of ensuring that the FIGHTERs did not fight against each other. One FIGHTER alone would cost hundreds of thousands… Merely creating them for them to be destroyed would throw away the point of having a weapon. Perhaps they had the ability of controlling him with something that would make him unable to fight against a fellow FIGHTER. Athrun hadn't been able to admit that to himself before, but he could do so now. Was it possible? If so, what were the consequences?

He watched the news, wondering if Miho had survived the attack on the base. Even with a discovery with such weak evidence, Athrun knew that it meant real danger to the Coordinators. He needed to fight to protect the safety of PLANTs… yet at the same time, he needed to fight for the safety of the Naturals. Athrun clenched his fists, closing his eyes as he breathed deeply. No matter what, no matter what changes had been done to him, he must not lose sight of that. He would continue fighting for that, no matter how much he might wish against it.

He felt stronger. He _knew_ he was stronger. Faster. His reflexes had improved. So had his vision. For some reason, he had been granted the power of being stronger than what he had been before… and he did not know if he deserved it. But if there was one thing Athrun knew, he would use it to fight alongside Kira, Cagalli and Lacus again. Along with the Archangel. Along with Yzak and Dearka. Along with Shinn and Lunamaria.

His thoughts echoed back to the words of those in Phaedra's Base. He had seen the admiration behind their eyes, and the sense of loss that he knew was there because he had not upheld his father's ideals. He was constantly reminded of his father… of what he could have been, if he had allowed his hatred to consume him and kept on fighting against Kira. The legacy that Patrick Zala left behind pained him. If Athrun was the son of such a great leader, then couldn't he achieve what Patrick Zala had achieved?

"Excuse me, Mister. Are you alright?"

Athrun raised his head, turning his green eyes to the young girl who had addressed him. She had clear blue eyes and long blonde hair that she put up in pigtails. She was dressed casually in a white shirt and pink skirt – Athrun wouldn't put her age to be more than ten years old. He blinked, managing a smile. "I'm fine," Athrun answered shortly.

"Can I ask you some things? We learned them in school," the girl said shyly.

Would it hurt? "I suppose so…"

"There are three questions," the girl said, excited now as she laced her fingers together, watching him expectantly. "Imagine yourself walking," Athrun did, "and you eventually come across a wall. How tall is the wall?"

"Nineteen metres," Athrun answered instantly, the height of the Infinite Justice coming to him.

"And how did you climb over it?"

Considering this, Athrun paused. "I'll climb it with a rope," he decided.

"Okay. After that, you kept on walking… and you saw an island. How will you get to it?"

"Swim," Athrun answered, perplexed now. What had he gotten himself into?

The girl beamed at him. "Okay! So you swam to the island… What is the first animal you see?"

Athrun frowned, fighting the urge to sigh. But he played along, and was still imagining as she spoke. It took him a few seconds to find the animal in his imagination. "A monkey."

"And the next animal you find?"

"A tiger."

The girl giggled, beaming happily at him. "Thank you! We learned those questions in school, and I wanted to know what people's answers are."

After answering such odd questions, Athrun couldn't help but ask. "Why?"

"I'll explain. When you first started walking, you saw a wall. The height of the wall is the height of your problems – whether small or big. And how you get over it determines who you are. If you chose a rope, it means that you'll solve your problems with a friend. Or you might use someone to solve your problems, but I'm not sure what that meant," the girl said, her brows pulling together. It only lasted for a moment before her expression cleared again. "Anyway, how far the island is is how far you are from getting your dreams. If you can swim through it, then I guess it's not far," she guessed, smiling happily. "And lastly, the animal you first saw was yourself."

"I'm a monkey?" Athrun asked incredulously.

"Well, not really. You're you. But a monkey is someone who is loyal. And the second answer is who your partner is. If you're a monkey, then your partner is a tiger. So ask anyone around, and if they're a tiger, then maybe you'll fall in love!" the girl said cheekily, sticking her tongue out. Clearly, the topic of love was not one that she liked. "I'll see you later!" she said, running off.

Being with his friends to solve his problems _Kira and Lacus_, having a dream that would not take him long to achieve _Stopping the war,_ finding a tiger as a partner _Cagalli_. Athrun knew he should not believe such nonsensical questions and answers, but he found himself wishing that it were true.

* * *

><p><strong>Eurasian Federation –Suez Base, Kuwait (Present Day – 10 Hours Later)<strong>

The flames of destruction and the scorching heat of the sun and the fired cannons were astounding as a large, black mobile armour hovered in the lands of Kuwait. The red eyes flashed menacingly and the mobile armour turned, the cannons charging, then releasing another shot that left nothing but debris and death in its path. Black smoke turned the sky a dreadful shade of dark grey. Fires broke out, people screamed, but inside the mobile suit, Miho stared at the destruction his mobile suit had just caused. The orders given to him had been plain and simple, at least to his mind – to destroy what was left of Eurasia, and most importantly, take out the military base of Suez as he did so. The mobile suit moved – not as fast as a typical Gundam, but fast enough that it was able to keep up with the ZAFT mobile suits that flanked it. Miho turned his eyes to the small forces that had come to attack – their beams and cannons were nothing compared to his machine. A simple flick of the switch, activating the plasma cannon, was all Miho needed to wipe them out. He smiled slightly to himself, feeling the thrill now. Melee weapons were his specialty… well, at least, they used to be because he was never trusted with long-range weapons, but he decided that he preferred this much more.

It was this sight that met Kira's eyes as the Archangel fired its Valiants, but the mobile armour was strong. Kira was vaguely reminded of the first time he had battled against the Destroy five years ago – large and destructive mobile suits and armours were dangerous, but they had very little agility and movement, in which case close-combat would be advantageous. It was obvious that it was a ZAFT unit. Kira noted that the _Renegade_ ship was not in sight and he clenched his fists tight, watching the mobile suit from the Archangel's bridge.

"Look at that thing. It's big, but it's also quite fast-moving for something of such size… It's definitely stronger than the new versions of the Destroy," Sai remarked from his station, his eyes wide as he took in the destruction surrounding them.

"It's… frightening," Miriallia managed, shaken.

"Archangel, rise by twenty degrees. Be careful of the cannons. Activate the Gottfrieds," Murrue commanded.

"I'm launching with the Freedom," Kira announced as the ship moved closer to the battlefield.

"Kira!" Lacus cried out worriedly from her station.

"It'll be alright," Kira said reassuringly, turning to run out of the bridge. _I can't leave it like this… No matter what, I can't leave it like this…_ Kira thought, the image of Mayu coming to his mind. He shook his head, casting the thought away. Now wasn't the time for him to think of such things. Reaching the hangar, Kira strapped himself into his pilot suit in less than thirty seconds, finding himself in the cockpit of the Ultimate Freedom in another thirty. He activated the system, the plan forming in his mind now.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

**G.U.N.D.A.M Complex**

As the launch sequence began, Kira switched the channels and Miriallia's face appeared on his left. "Miriallia. Please ask the Archangel not to go too near the mobile armour – it's dangerous. The Akatsuki should stay close to protect the ship. Make sure you be careful –"

"_Don't worry, Commander. You should worry more about not getting yourself killed,_" A voice interrupted him. Surprised, Kira's head snapped up, his eyes wide as he watched Shinn adjusting the controls of his Destiny Gaia from inside his cockpit.

"Shinn, you –"

"_You don't think I'll let you have all the fun?"_ Shinn shot back.

A small smile tugged on his lips. "Well, no. I see. In that case, we'll handle it and take it down," Kira agreed. "Thank you, Shinn."

The black-haired Coordinator snorted, turning his eyes away. The screen switched, showing Mu inside the Gaia instead. "You take that big one, Kira. I'll keep the small ones away – Luna, are you ready?"

"_Never readier!"_

Calmer now, Kira managed a nod. He listened to the familiar commands, finally receiving the green light to launch. "Take care, everyone! Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"

.

Tyres squealed as Athrun hit the front and back brakes of the motorbike, the fast machine skidding to a halt a good distance away from the enormous mobile armour. He could have hardly believed what he had seen, departing from the station in Baghdad and watching the emergency news broadcast on the television. Now, seeing the battle right in front of his eyes, he finally accepted that it was true. The mobile suit he had seen beside his name earlier, the ZGMF-X99X was finally put in battle. It was almost funny… a few more days longer in Phaedra's Base and it could have been Athrun in the mobile armour. He could see the Archangel easily and appearing very small beside the Terminate, he spotted the Ultimate Freedom and Destiny Gaia engaging the mobile armour in action. It was a difficult battle – Athrun had read the specifics, and he knew that the mobile armour had come with a positron reflector as well as a Geschmeidig Panzer shield, an energy-deflecting armour that had been installed on the Forbidden Gundam during the first war, rendering beam weapons almost useless with how it curved the attacks.

He had no chance against an enemy so lethal – not if he was to steal a mobile suit, not without his Justice. But he could see fighters from Eurasia engaging the ZAFT mobile suits in battle, and that was enough for him to know which enemies he _could_ defeat. Despite everything, the Suez base was still standing, and Athrun knew that where there was a base, there were mobile suits. He rammed the gears of his motorbike and shot forwards towards the base, spotting the Earth Alliance Windams that was still launching from the base. The thought of him piloting an Earth Alliance Windam was not at all reassuring, but Athrun could see no other choice. _Kuso… When all this is over…_ he thought to himself, shaking his head as he did so. _Cagalli…_

Athrun was thankful at the very least that getting into the base was no problem – the base was in a state of chaos, the external security systems and high walls already destroyed. Athrun swung his legs off from the motorbike, landing on his feet smartly as he raced across the clearing to where he could see a number of pilots were getting ready climb into their mobile suits. He could feel the speed as he ran, perhaps appearing as nothing but a blur that was too quick for the Naturals to pick up in time to know what was going on. Athrun climbed into the mobile suit, easily activating the suit and he watched in horror with what armaments he had – and the operating system he had to work with.

_For goodness's sake… A mobile suit with these specifications could kill any redcoat…_ Athrun cursed inwardly, locking the door of the cockpit from inside and immediately adjusting the OS. He was playing to his strengths, using the very old Windam for speed and agility over the power of the beam sabers. Power wasn't everything to win a battle with mobile suits – a suit that was fast and agile had better chances of winning against a damaged opponent as opposed to a damaged opponent with strong weapons but little speed and agility. It was all with playing with one's strengths, and close combat was Athrun's strength. The Windam had been equipped with an Aile Striker, providing him with maximum thrust and an extra two beam sabers.

It took Athrun less than two minutes to adjust everything to his needs and with that, he took off, leaving behind angered and confused soldiers.

.

The Freedom and Destiny worked in perfect synchronization – the two cannons on the Freedom locked onto the damaged armour of the black mobile armour while at the same time, Shinn aimed his beam assault cannon, both firing instantly. Energy deflection armours were strong, but it would still weaken eventually under attack. Transforming into a mobile suit again, Shinn immediately took out his beam rifle and shot to where he could see the armour had been damaged. Kira moved back, the armaments of his Freedom locking onto the Terminate, firing instantly. The black mobile suit fired its missiles and Kira dodged, allowing Shinn to fire at the missiles. Clenching his teeth together, Kira stored his rifles and equipped his anti-ship strike sword, boosting his thrusters as he did so.

Miho had been ready. He had already known the existence of the legendary Freedom. As soon as the signature sword was equipped, the Terminate moved, the energy-deflecting shields moving to its back as additional thrusters. One problem faced by the Destroy weapon was that it could hardly move, and it was not equipped with any melee weapons. But the Terminate had its own beam sword, and it was far more agile than a Destroy, even with its massive size. Transformed into a mobile suit, Miho equipped the beam sword and fired its beam cannons at the Freedom, gritting his teeth as the mobile suit dodged far too easily. The Freedom was no more than a third of his size. Such a small opponent was annoying and Miho released his DRAGOONs, angered now. This suit needed to be destroyed!

Dodging the beam attacks from the DRAGOONs, Kira cried out angrily, bringing his sword down at the armour of the Terminate. Even with a beam sword, the weapon was far too big, and Kira found that he could dodge the attacks rather easily except for the DRAGOONs. The Terminate moved back; not fast enough to dodge the attack completely, but fast enough to ensure that it had not taken the full blow. Kira judged the movements of the large mobile suit and moved back. The blue weapon wings of his Freedom locked onto the damaged armour on the Terminate's left side of the chest and Kira fired, angered again when the attack was deflected by the Geschmeidig Panzer.

"Kuso!" Kira cursed, his Freedom moving back instantly as the DRAGOONs were released again. Reacting quickly, the rifle was in his hand immediately and Kira fired, the Freedom twisting in the air as he tried to aim away from the shield generators installed on the DRAGOON units. Alarms blared and Kira dodged as the Terminate swung its sword just before firing its plasma cannon again, boosting his thrusters as the Terminate followed his movement, trying to take him out with a single shot.

Furious, Kira stored his beam rifle and swung down with his strike sword right at the right Geschmeidig Panzer shield, his amethyst eyes burning as he gritted his teeth, the beam coating on the sword rendered useless. But the attack left a mark on the shield, and he knew that small as he was, he could still win. Deactivating the shield coating from the sword, Kira moved back, dodging the DRAGOON attacks easily as they fired. By his side, Shinn fired at the mobile suit continuously, shouting curses as he did so. With the right shield now damaged, Kira activated the antimatter hyper-propulsion system and the Freedom shot forward in almost a brilliant flame of blue and white. Crying out angrily, Kira brought the sword down at full thrust, the speed of the Freedom working with the sword to heavily damage the Geschmeidig Panzer shield. Tucking the sword away, the Kira equipped both his beam rifles, the railguns swivelling forward as he fired all the armaments of the Freedom onto the damaged shield.

Inside the Terminate, alarms blared and Miho glared and cried out angrily, all the cannons firing at once as he twisted and turned, trying to get a head-on hit with the Freedom. The energy overpowered the mobile suit and the right shield exploded, sending him out of control with the left thrusters of his left shield running. The Terminate's cannons fired in multiple directions and Kira hit the thrusters of his Freedom, dodging out of view as the Terminate spun out of control. Mobile suits exploded, buildings burst into flames, the air blanketed with smoke as the cannons continued firing. Kira watched, horrified, as a number of Earth Alliance and ZAFT mobile suits exploded with the intense energy of the cannons, unable to dodge the attacks in time. One particular Windam stood out to him – its legs had been blasted off, but it moved with remarkable speed and agility, disabling what mobile suits were left but leaving the thrusters intact so they were able to escape. Worried, Kira turned to where Mu and Lunamaria were fighting but he noted that they had stayed far enough that made it possible for them to dodge the attacks. The Terminate steadied itself and the Windam boosted its thrusters, already heavily damaged, towards Kira and Shinn.

Sweat poured down Athrun's face, but his eyes were almost eerily calm as he sped towards the Freedom and Destiny. He had worked the Windam past its limitations, and he wasn't impressed – the right side of the headpiece had short-circuited, making him half-blind and his left arm could no longer move, rendered useless with the intense fighting he had underwent. Athrun eyed the Terminate accusingly – he could well feel that the pilot inside was none other than Miho. It was undeniable.

"_Kira! Don't let your guard down… That pilot… He's an Extended Coordinator."_

The voice was unmistakeable, and no matter how much faith Kira had put into Athrun that he would remain alive, it was still shocking to hear his voice. "Athrun? Athrun Zala!" Kira responded, switching the communication channels, yet failing to get a visual. Judging by how badly damaged the Windam was, Kira wasn't surprised.

It took less than a minute for Miho to adjust the energy output of the thrusters, balancing the Terminate again. Looming menacingly over the three mobile suits, Miho deployed his DRAGOON units again and released his missiles, using the distraction to aim his cannons.

The three mobile suits dodged quickly. One shot from all the Freedom's armaments easily disabled most of the missiles and threw the DRAGOONs off-course, while skilled shots from Shinn and an agile manoeuvre from Athrun destroyed three DRAGOON units. Kira gritted his teeth, moving the Freedom back. "Athrun! Head back to the Archangel! You're in no condition to fight in that mobile suit!"

The damaged Windam was left with only two beam sabers left – this he combined to use with his remaining arm. The battery power of the Windam was well within the orange zone and would proceed to the red zone in only a few minutes. Athrun knew that the Windam couldn't even begin to compare with his destroyed Justice, but at the same time, he simply could not allow himself to back down and allow Kira to proceed with the fight. Miho was his enemy, created by followers of Patrick Zala. That was enough for Athrun to ignore Kira's plea as he boosted his thrusters, crying out angrily as he dodged the cannons that fired, turning and slashing his beam saber across the thick armour of the Terminate. "_Let's go, Kira! Take it down!"_

"Athrun! Stop it!" The Destiny and Freedom moved forward instantly – the Destiny using its beam rifles and cannons to damage the remaining shield further while the Freedom equipped its strike sword once again, slamming it against the armour. The Terminate swerved, the cannons firing again – but just as how it was able to dodge the offensive attacks by the Archangel from afar, the three mobile suits could dodge its attacks as well.

_I'll defeat him… I'll defeat him!_ Using the last reserve of power left in the damaged Windam, Athrun drove the beam saber into the Terminate's left shoulder where the armour had clearly been damaged by the Freedom earlier. Something exploded and Athrun moved back, breathing heavily, the Windam unable to battle any longer. He watched, defeated, as the Terminate readied its cannons to fire once again – one of them aiming right at him. He hit the thrusters, but the mobile suit wouldn't move. The last reserves of power were keeping him up, but nothing more.

"_STOP IT!_" Kira shouted angrily, activating the hyper-propulsion system again. Disappearing from view, Kira was vaguely aware of his senses as he landed one attack after another on the Terminate, driving it back, driving it away from his best friend as he continuously landed the blows onto the heavy armour. In one swift move, the swords were replaced with beam sabers which Kira drove deep into the cannons, watching the orange explosion forming from inside. It couldn't be helped. The pilot couldn't be saved. He would not allow it, not if it meant sacrificing Athrun in the process, and the people around the wasteland they were in.

Those people whose eyes shone brightly with the crates Kira had carried. Those people who had cried because of the war. Those people who had fought to defend peace. Athrun, who came back. Cagalli, who never stopped trying. Lacus, who was often targeted for her attempts. Mayu, who lost her life for nothing. His friends, his enemies, the world…

The Freedom moved back, the empty hands now equipped with the beam rifles. Railguns swivelled forward, cannons locked on target, ten DRAGOON units moved to frame the blue, white and gold mobile suit and the armaments fired simultaneously, followed by a large explosion of what once was the ZGMF-X99X Terminate.

* * *

><p><strong>ZGMF-X99X Terminate<strong>

**Unit type:** Heavy Assault Mobile Suit**  
>Model number:<strong> ZGMF-X99X  
><strong>Code name:<strong> Terminate  
><strong>Manufacturer:<strong> Integrated Design Bureau (ZAFT)  
><strong>Operator: <strong>ZAFT  
><strong>Launched:<strong> C.E 79  
><strong>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, standard cockpit in torso

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height: <strong>60.12 metres**  
>- Empty Weight: <strong>Unknown**  
>- Colour: <strong>Black and Grey

****Powerplant:** **Double Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor**  
><strong>Accommodation:<strong> **Standard pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
><strong>Armour:<strong> **Trans-Phase Shift Armor

**Armaments**  
>10 x Multipurpose Missile Launcher<br>2 x High-energy Beam Boomerangs  
>4 x High-Energy Beam Cannon (Two mounted on shoulders, two mounted on back. Mobile Armour form only)<br>3 x 200mm Energy Cannon (Two mounted on torso, one located on hip. Mobile Suit form only)  
>3 x Multi-phase Energy Cannon (Two installed on arms, one located on hip. Mobile Suit form only)<br>8 x "Igelstellung" 75mm Automatic CIWS  
>15 x DRAGOON mobile weapon wing<br>1 x Plasma Cannon (Installed in chest)  
>1 x Large Anti-Ship Beam Sword (Stored in back. Mobile Suit form only)<p>

**Optional Equipment**  
>Trans-Phase Armour<br>Positron Reflector Shield  
>"Geschmeidig Panzer" Energy Deflection Armor<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> Soooo many apologies for being behind schedule! I've been so busy with real life lately that it's amazing. Did I manage to write a better battle scene this time? I really hope I did! An intense chapter coming up soon after this! I know last chapter wasn't my best (far from it, actually), but I hope this one is better. As usual, please let me know. In any case, I'm quite surprised that nobody really mentioned looking forward to Athrun coming back to the Archangel. I had expected a large number of AsuCaga fans out there compared to KiraRaku fans. But anyway! Next chapter is still scheduled to be uploaded by 21st October. Apologies if I reply to your reviews or PMs late – I check this place out often enough, but unfortunately with not enough time for me to spend more than a few minutes on it.

In any case, as usual, the greatest of thanks to all my wonderful readers and reviewers. I can't believe I've reached the 100 count of reviews! You guys are so awesome! I thank IgNighted, AWESOME, San 017, nxkris and PrincessOfDestiny14 for the reviews left for the last chapter. Thank you also to those who favourite-d and alert-ed this story. Things will take a major turn in the next chapter and the one after it, so stay tuned, guys! The end is near for us all, and I still aim to complete this fic by mid-November. Thanks as usual for your support, and please drop a review behind. :D

* * *

><p><strong>AWESOME<strong>: I really do agree. XD He does need somebody. But I think he'll probably have his own happy ending at the end of all this.

**San 017**: It's not so much the plot as the impact with the whole Extended Coordinator thing. I think it'll be understandable in two chapters or so. :) I always thought that Shinn is a character who would blame everyone even remotely associated to the death of his family (hence hating Cagalli). I think as a character, he's extremely unstable, and I don't think he ever had the closure he really needed when it comes to his parents and Stellar. He's always in such a tragic situation, one can't help but sympathise somewhat… even if he does tend to have some awful attitudes. In any case, your reviews mean a lot to me, signed or not. So I thank you for taking the time to read and review. Life has been busy for me as well – but I'll read your fic as soon as I can and review when possible. Wait for it!


	19. PHASE 18: To Gain and Lose Again

**PHASE EIGHTEEN: To Gain and Lose Again  
><strong>

**C.E 79 Eurasian Federation –Suez Base, Kuwait (Present Day)**

Sweat poured down Athrun's face as he moved the Windam back, his eyes on the large heap of twisted metal in front of him of what was once the ZGMF-X99X Terminate. Along with the destruction of the large mobile suit, what little ZAFT forces that accompanied it had also been defeated and the air was quiet, no sound of explosions or swords clashing in the air. He watched as the blue, white and gold Freedom turned, facing the much ruined blue and white Windam that was hovering in the air.

"_Athrun!_" Kira called from the Freedom, worry colouring his tone. "_Athrun, can you hear me? Are you alright?_"

Athrun relaxed. "I'm fine. Sorry, Kira," he apologised, leaning back against the seat of the ruined mobile suit. He breathed deeply, spots of black and red appearing at the back of his eyes. His head was throbbing, the image of him fighting against the Terminate hurting him. Had they really killed Miho?

"_Cagalli is in the Akatsuki,_" Kira informed, the Freedom's arms now circling the Windam. "_Let's get back to the Archangel,_" he said quietly, his voice softer now. "_Let's go, Shinn!_"

"_Yeah."_

Athrun tuned out, shaking his head several times to try and get rid of the pain in his head. What was going on? He could sense a form of anger deep within him, a type of anger directed to Kira. But the anger didn't belong to him. How could he be angry with Kira of all people? Yet, he felt the cold fury radiating through him, along with a sense of helplessness with his inability to continue fighting, even if the enemies had been defeated for now. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he registered several people calling his name, their voice rather electronic from the internal speakers of the Windam. One in particular stood out, the voice of a female that he had been thinking of all the time he had been away.

"Cagalli…" Athrun whispered slowly, his hands gripping the controls of the Windam.

There was a slight motion of the Windam being set down on the ground, and Athrun wondered if he was already in the Archangel. The sounds coming from the internal speakers were hard to comprehend. He could hear frantic orders here and there, and several people calling his name. The door of the cockpit was forced open and he looked up with confused eyes at a familiar face clad in a blue and white pilot suit – a pilot with brown hair and amethyst eyes, and Athrun smiled slightly. "Kira."

He wondered why Kira's brows pulled, why he shouted over his shoulder for a stretcher. What was that for? But he accepted his old friend's help, climbing out of the cockpit of the Windam and balancing himself as he stood on the ground. Something golden flashed through him and he found himself in the arms of a familiar golden-haired girl hugging him tightly, sprouting curses at him that he could hardly register. But he hugged her, burying his face into her shoulder all-too-gratefully, whispering her name but not being able to hear it himself. His vision was fading – fading fast. He heard more worried calls, he could feel Kira's arm holding him as he was no longer standing, and he remembered no more.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – <strong>_**Renegade **_**(Present Day)**

"_WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?_" The angry voice of the Commander of the _Renegade_ ship echoed through the room where he stood, his half-mask hiding his face from view. Daisuke's hands were clenched tight, barely able to hide his horror with what he had just seen. The amount of land destroyed by the single mobile suit that Amalfi had launched was staggering. But the Amalfi in front of him looked determined as he glared hard at the masked Coordinator.

"_There was nothing else I could do when they've found out about Phaedra's Base!_" the elder Coordinator argued, the light brown eyes almost calm as he glared at the one shouting at him.

Daisuke clenched his fists, his eyes glittering with anger. It was true that under the circumstances, there was a very slim chance that the Earth Alliance, and more accurately, Blue Cosmos, would allow things to continue as how they were. The announcement had been aired only a few short hours before the attack on the Suez base was launched, but it was enough to know that the discovery of the Extended Coordinators had sparked the fear among the Naturals once again, with good reason.

Still, the attack by ZAFT marked the end of RENEGADE. As much as Daisuke himself had seen it coming, had suspected that it would occur more than the prospect of separating the Naturals and Coordinators, it was still something that was frustrating for him to admit.

"_There is something of interest that I would like to consult with you about_," Amalfi said, his voice quieter now, catching Daisuke's attention once again. "_It has come to my attention through the speakers of the ZGMF-X99X Terminate that one particular Windam was in the battle, fighting alongside the Freedom and the Destiny. From the small conversation we managed to record from the Terminate, I have reason to believe that the pilot of the Windam was Athrun Zala,_" Amalfi informed, his voice cool. Daisuke held his breath, suddenly wondering if his cover was about to be blown. But Amalfi merely smiled, albeit a very sinister one, almost as if he knew what Daisuke had planned all along. But he decided to ask instead. "_Did you see it coming?_"

With the half-mask covering his eyes, Daisuke could only be grateful that his expression was protected from the man before him. "I had no real way of seeing it coming," he said calmly. "It wasn't my idea to send the boy to Phaedra's base in the first place."

There was a lapse of silence between the two as Amalfi continued to scrutinize the man displayed on his screen. He had no doubt that things had gone according to the Commander's plans, but what the Commander wanted to achieve in truth was something he could not yet decipher. "_You are right_," he said eventually. "_But allow me to tell you that PLANTs is no longer siding with RENEGADE. War is upon us, and Blue Cosmos will not stand down and watch us continue living_."

"You can still separate the two," Daisuke tried.

There was a brief hesitation. "_Perhaps. But it is high time that RENEGADE stops fighting for both sides. Choose your side. Disband your group. And fight for the life of the Coordinators_."

Daisuke stared at the screen, examining the face of the man before him. But he decided not to respond and instead shut the connection, watching as the screen turned black, then resting against the back of his chair, sighing deeply.

Outside the room, a young pilot with golden hair and eyes stepped away from the door, his expression grave and calculating as he walked away.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation –Suez Base, Kuwait (Present Day)<strong>

Pieces of metal and rubble shifted amidst the many ruins of the once-proud base of Suez of the Earth Alliance. With angry eyes, Miho heaved the final sheet of metal off from him, the low growl threatening to escape his lips, resounding deep within his chest instead. He looked left and right, searching for any signs whatsoever of humans that he could lay his hands on and kill, but it was futile. There was nobody around. His mobile suit had simply done its job of wiping out the humans, and there was nobody he could kill. His eyes turned to a small part of his mobile suit – Miho had no idea what it was before the explosion, but now it was one good melee weapon, with the long handle and the twisted end, perfect to stab into someone and twist around to cause the most excruciating of internal damages to the victim. He could see sharp shrapnel lying around that he could throw. He could see large pieces of metal that he could bring down to shatter a person's skull.

The amount of weapons lying around was amazing, but there just weren't any victims for him to kill.

He did not particularly care about that, however. He had his new target – the Ultimate Freedom Gundam. Being strapped in such a large machine, Miho was absolutely discontented with how little mobility he had compared to the Freedom. He had killed many people. Hundreds. Thousands. And he felt the thrill under his fingers running through his veins as he pulled the trigger, but the Freedom destroyed his mobile suit. That was not something he had wanted to happen. Fighting against the Freedom was thrilling, and he wanted to know the feeling that he would get if he could successfully bring the mobile suit down. Perhaps it would be the best feeling ever. Perhaps it would make him… happy. Besides, he couldn't let go of such an enemy, especially when he had received the orders to kill the pilot of that mobile suit.

If there was one thing Miho _did_ notice, it was about the Windam that had joined the battle just shortly before the Freedom Gundam fought against him. Miho had felt the presence of that pilot once before this, and it was highly unlikely for him to forget such a face. The midnight blue hair, the sharp green eyes… That person who had tried to fight against him, the one who Miho couldn't understand why he couldn't kill, even if it had been trying to escape the facility. What was his name? It didn't matter. The Blue Haired. It physically hurt him to try and aim that cannon at that particular Windam, which made Miho all the more keen to want to try and defeat it. Defeating the Freedom would be a thrill. But defeating that one Windam seemed to fuel him with excitement even more.

Finally freeing himself completely from the rubble of the Terminate, Miho walked forwards, casting his sharp eyes around for any signs of movement. He found none. He was disappointed, but at the same time, he knew how to be patient. His finger moved to a small button located on the right side of the pilot suit he was wearing, which he pressed. There was a brief silence as the connection was established.

"…_Miho? Is that you?_" Rita's voice was worried as she spoke through the small speakers installed in his helmet.

"Yes," Miho answered shortly.

"_Where are you? Goodness, are you injured?"_

He didn't answer. They had a tracking device on him anyway. He would be located soon. In the meantime, he positioned himself on a small part of the Terminate and closed his eyes, fantasizing the Freedom and The Blue Haired defeated under his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

Kira was worried. Not only was Athrun being held behind at the infirmary, it also seemed as though the doctor believed that he had been affected by something more than just exhaustion and the damage done by his wounds. He had caught snatches of discussions that mentioned "withdrawal symptoms" and "unregistered drugs" and wondered what exactly his friend had gone through when he had been kidnapped by the _Renegade_. His fingers stopped moving and Kira looked at his screen in surprise, realising that there was nothing more he could do to his Ultimate Freedom. Not now, not while there were still many more that needs repairing. He frowned. With his eyes clouded, he scanned the operating system again, realising that he had fine-tuned everything to ultimate precision, and finally gave up. A fine OS was nothing if the actual components couldn't work to its best.

Slowly, almost dejectedly, Kira climbed out from the cockpit of his Gundam and transported himself down, looking back at his Freedom. The Destiny had sustained more damages than this... And it would be a while before Lunamaria's Enigma could be used in battle. A gentle voice called his name and he turned, only now registering Lacus's presence in the large hangar of the Archangel. She walked over to him, her smile as gentle and knowing as ever, and he sighed.

"Are you alright?" she asked, the same, standard question.

Kira smiled slightly. "Is he awake?" he asked. He knew long enough by now that there was no point lying to Lacus, to pretend as if he was alright when he wasn't. The songstress could read him like an open book.

"I'm not sure. Will you come with me to the infirmary?" she invited. Her head tilted a fraction of an inch.

He had been defeated. "Sure. Let's go."

They walked in silence, though that was due to Kira's melancholy mood than silence on Lacus's part. The young songstress had tried to strike a conversation several times, but after receiving only one-word answers from the brown-haired pilot, she decided that perhaps Kira's mind was too fully occupied to pay much attention to her distractions. So she kept silent, while still keeping a concerned eye on the Coordinator as they walked through the hallways and up the elevator, Kira's hand firmly around her back as a sign to let her know that he was still grateful for her attempts.

"Kira…" Lacus whispered, turning her eyes on him as they neared the infirmary.

Kira hesitated. "I'm worried, Lacus. Of what they might have done to him."

"Don't worry," Lacus said reassuringly, stopping to take his hand as she gazed at him. "You know he'll be alright. He's Athrun."

It wasn't much of a reassurance, but it was still something that Kira had to admit he had faith on. Athrun had been through too much and still managed to survive unharmed… well, physically, at the very least. Kira had no real choice but to believe in his friend that the undeniable strength had never left him. They entered the infirmary and were immediately greeted by the sight of the doctor and Cagalli standing beside Athrun's bed who turned in surprise at their arrival.

"You're just in time!" the doctor said, waving the papers in his hand. Kira arched an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Lacus asked.

"We've run full tests on him, and have only just gotten the results. Physically, I can say that his wounds are nothing more than what he has always endured before. There are quite a number of fresh wounds that he had obtained recently. Slash wounds, done by some sort of blade," the doctor said, his eyes on the report. Kira moved to stand beside Cagalli, grabbing her hand as he did so. "They're nothing that he can't recover from, but it'll take a while before I'd release him in a mobile suit again. The matter of real interest that we found were things we noticed in his body… Different readings to the previous records that we kept on the Archangel."

Kira felt a growing feeling of unease at the pit of his stomach. "What are they?"

The doctor scratched his head. "The problem is that I don't particularly see this as a really bad thing. His immune system has improved, recovery from wounds taking much less time than even the average Coordinator. The strength of his arms and legs has improved, but there are traces of strange compounds in his body… things that you wouldn't even expect from a typical Coordinator," the doctor said. Cagalli was already clenching Kira's hand tight as they listened. "Of course, I think maybe the drugs needed to be maintained. He's been suffering from something that resembles withdrawal symptoms. So far, we've been able to control him with several stimulants, but it doesn't change the fact that he is suffering without them. It's still difficult for us to try and determine just how dependent he is on them… and what they do. We have our suspicions."

A weak chuckle from the bed startled them. Kira turned, immediately realising that the closed eyelids were now open, revealing the dark green orbs that were staring up at them.

"Athrun!" Cagalli exclaimed, immediately closing the distance between them. "Are you okay?"

Athrun shook his head, pushing himself up to sit. "I'm fine. Don't worry."

"What happened, Athrun?"

The question came from Kira, concern clouding his eyes. A few eyes – Lacus's and Athrun's – turned to the brown-haired Coordinator as he raised the inquiry, but nobody expected what happened afterward. In a spring nearly too fast for the human eye to comprehend, Athrun was on the other Coordinator in a millisecond, green eyes burning furiously as his hands took a death hold on Kira's neck. Kira cried out in surprise, his reflexes saving him just in time as he moved with the momentum, his grip iron around Athrun's wrists as he tried to pry the hands away. They rolled around for a few seconds, both struggling, the doctor and Cagalli just beginning to move when Kira finally managed to lock Athrun's arms behind him, pressing the Coordinator onto the ground.

"What are you _doing_, Athrun?" Kira shouted furiously, his eyes both surprised and angry.

Athrun breathed deeply. What had he done? He could feel the urge to kill still in his veins, but they were now fading away with the knowledge that he had been defeated by his best friend. There was simply no use struggling now and above all, Athrun did _not_ want to continue the fight. He blocked all words out, all the feeling of pain pushed away and focused fully on taking deep breaths that he did not need.

It was a while before he finally relaxed. "I'm fine now, Kira. I'm sorry," he said quietly. The grip was relaxed instantly and he raised his head to the other Coordinator.

Cagalli was already beside him, her brows pulled together. Behind her, Lacus stood, her expression concerned. He glanced at them both before turning his eyes away, unable to meet the worried expressions. Inside, he was cursing at himself, mentally kicking himself. He knew none in the room would do the honour for him. The doctor came from his other side, examining him. "Are you in control?"

"Yes," Athrun answered shortly. He turned his gaze away. He knew that the answer wasn't completely true, but then again, most probably everyone in the room knew that by now.

"Athrun… What happened?" The question came from Kira again. A hand was placed on Athrun's shoulder – Kira's hand – and Athrun silently wondered if it was a sign of comfort or if it was a precaution if he would react differently again. He supposed it might be a bit of both… for normal people. But for Kira… for Kira, it was most likely the former and nothing more. If anything, it made him feel more wretched than ever. "That base that was destroyed... Athrun. Were you in it?"

He smiled weakly. Trust Kira to hit the jackpot. "Ah… I was in the base. They were trying to make… Extended Coordinators. Coordinators with enhanced senses and abilities, far more than we are now. And designed for fighting battles and war," he said, then explaining everything that had happened since the cockpit of the Infinite Justice had been taken away. The four in the room listened in silence and Athrun was aware of Kira's hand tightening around his shoulder and the doctor's expression hardening. But he continued, even when it was painful to keep on talking, because he knew where his loyalties lay and what he wanted to fight against… and who he wanted to fight with. He knew since he rushed to the Terminate with his Windam, fighting alongside the Ultimate Freedom.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – <strong>_**Renegade **_**(Present Day)**

It was simple. All too simple. Who would question him, anyway? Who would be able to pursue him? He had been ready, waiting and watching and waiting for his Advocate to complete its repairs and supplies. He watched from afar, out of view, and examined the Gundam with his naked eyes as the hours passed by. All the time, his mind was filled with thoughts. What he must do. What fight he would be participating in. To kill all the Coordinators. To be prepared for the final battle. But, most importantly, to bring down the Freedom who would undoubtedly get in the way. Genei cared not about the fight between the Naturals and the Coordinators. All he cared about was defeating the Ultimate Freedom. That one mobile suit that had always been deemed as the strongest. Genei wanted to destroy that mobile suit. He would go down fighting if needed, die in the battle if he could.

He could kill the others. He could destroy the other mobile suits far too easily. But the Ultimate Freedom was different, and Genei knew that it was his one and true only opponent in the battle he needed to fight.

When the repairs were done and the technicians finally moved away from his mobile suit, Genei found himself in it in almost less than a minute. Little did he know that since before he had been watching the progress of the mechanics, another mobile suit pilot was already sitting in the cockpit of his machine, tuning up the Gundam silently as the repairs were being done. The pilot had not even left the cockpit since the end of the previous battle. Ken raised his eyebrows in surprise as Genei's familiar figure, clad in his pilot suit, ran towards the Advocate that was situated beside his . "That guy... I'm sure it's Genei," Ken muttered to himself, powering up his Apocalypse.

The other Gundam was already powered up and ready to depart when Ken secured the connection with his Apocalypse. Below, the technicians were already shouting and pointing, confused as they had not been informed of a launch that was supposed to happen. "Genei! Can you hear me, Genei? What are you doing?" Ken called, annoyed and angered at the same time.

"_I hear you loud and clear, Seorin. I am going to defeat the Freedom_," Genei answered, equipping his beam rifle which he aimed at the technicians. "_Allow me to launch, or I'll force my way out_," he said, his voice clear through the Advocate's external speakers.

"Stop it, Genei!"

"_Or what? What can you do? RENEGADE is over. Now it's time to pick sides and do what you want_," Genei snapped. He was beginning to lose his temper. The Advocate was _his_ machine, which he could use to do whatever he wished. There was no hierarchy of power any longer, no actions that may be taken against him if he acted without following the rules. _The Freedom has just come out from a battle. There's no better chance to defeat him, and I will._

.

"Captain!" Schellen turned, her eyes worried as she locked her gaze on the blue-eyed captain.

Sethe pursed his lips. "Allow him to launch. Have the Apocalypse to launch as well, and call the other pilots. Level one battle status. Be prepared to attack the Archangel as soon as it comes within our range."

There was a brief moment of silence as the crew stared at the Captain of the ship in surprise. But orders were orders, and immediately, alarms blared as the ship went into first level battle status. Sethe moved over to the CIC, the plan already forming in his mind. It was perfect, to launch this unexpected attack that would move the world to decide for itself what it truly wished for. A small smirk appeared on his lips as he waited for the other three pilots to receive his command.

The door slid open, and the Commander strode in quickly, his half-masked face turned to Sethe immediately. "What is this?"

Sethe stood, his eyes betraying nothing. "We're going into battle. Genei was not wrong to want to launch as soon as repairs on the Advocate was completed. This is the perfect opportunity to strike, while the Freedom is weak. Regardless of RENEGADE's situation right now, we should stick to our ideals and fight for what we truly believe in... Isn't that right, Commander?" he asked, narrowing his gaze at the Commander who felt no emotion at all.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Archangel(Present Day)<strong>

"_All hands, level one battle status! Repeat, all hands, level one battle status!_"

It was the one thing Kira never wanted to hear, no matter what time, but this time especially, the call sparked a small feeling of anger within him. Athrun was cut off from his words as he looked up at the speakers, surprised. He watched as Kira moved to the screen by his bed, punching the codes that connected him to the Archangel's bridge. "Murrue-san! What's going on?"

"_Kira! It's the Advocate and Apocalypse. They're approaching us fast," _Murrue informed, her brows pulling together. "_We want to avoid a battle, if possible, but it doesn't seem likely._"

Kira hesitated. Even he knew that this would probably be the _Renegade_ ship's last battle. "I'll launch. Please have the Freedom ready."

"_Understood. Shinn will be launching as soon as the Destiny is finished with its resupplies."_

The screen flickered off, and Kira immediately found himself face-to-face with his twin, two golden orbs glaring at him angrily. "What was all that about? I'm going with you!" she cried out, annoyed. Her hands were on her hips and Kira flinched visibly under her burning glare. "Kira!"

Kira ducked away and shook his head, his hands in front of him. "Sorry, Cagalli. But... can you stay with the ship? It's just the Advocate and Apocalypse out there. I'm worried if the _Renegade_ sent them out as a decoy to capture the Archangel."

Cagalli stopped, her eyes briefly moving to rest on Athrun who looked at them both wordlessly. In truth, she would have preferred to stay by his side, but she knew that he would probably need time to himself before she was able to talk to him properly. She did not mind that in the least. She sighed and nodded. "Alright. I'll going to the bridge to see how things are. Take care, Kira!"

The brown-haired Coordinator was by the door in a heartbeat. He paused only once when Athrun called his name, telling him to be careful, and then disappeared. Cagalli followed shortly after, leaving both Athrun and Lacus alone in the infirmary. Lacus, who had been silently watching the whole thing without word, had worry clouding her expression as she watched Kira leave. No matter how much faith she had on Kira, how brilliant and powerful a pilot and mobile suit fighter she knew he was, she still couldn't help but be very worried whenever he had to go out to battle. But he had left, and she had decided to stay, purely because she knew that her former fiancée probably would need someone by his side right now.

"Athrun," Lacus called the blue-haired Coordinator gently, resting a hand on his arm. "Come on. Let me help you back onto the bed," she said, tugging him slightly. He followed, and together they made their way back to his bed, which he settled into with a glassy look in his eyes. Lacus turned her eyes to the doctor who signaled that he would get something for the patient, leaving her as he did so. Lacus smiled. She found that at times of defeat, of sadness, of loss, a smile could never fail to lighten the atmosphere, at least slightly. She watched the changes of expression that she could read on Athrun's face, peering through the locks of blue hair that was covering his expression from where she was sitting. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Athrun answered, shaking his head. He turned to look at her, as if just registering her presence. There was a tired smile on his lips. "Maybe I'm just tired, Lacus. I should be away from here... Especially from Kira. Whenever I look at him, I have this desire to..." he trailed off, the clenched fists already conveying what he could not say in words.

Lacus blinked. "You want to kill Kira... is that it?" she prodded.

He sighed. Trust Lacus to address the elephant in the room. "Yes. Or maybe, that's how it feels like. When I was fighting earlier, I had a harder time stopping myself from attacking Kira than I did attacking that mobile suit," he said, grimacing.

"Even back then, during the war... You wanted to kill Kira. But you didn't," Lacus pointed out. Athrun raised his eyebrows, surprised. Lacus smiled warmly. "It's alright, Athrun. Who your enemies are, and who you should fight against... Only you know who they are and how to fight them."

Athrun exhaled loudly, frustrated. "You don't understand, Lacus."

"Don't I?" Lacus shot back. "Then, are you saying that it cannot be helped if you fight against Kira?" she questioned.

Athrun stopped. Continuing the debate was pointless if they were only going to run around in circles. He laid down, turning his face away from her. He had always wondered how Lacus could explore the emotions of those around her as she did. But then again, that had always been her gift. He heard her shuffling slightly from where she was sitting and the screen on the other side of the room flickered to life, showing the external view of the Archangel. "Let's pray for them, Athrun," Lacus said gently.

.

Already clad in his pilot suit, Kira was greeted with the sight of Shinn pacing back and forth in front of the Destiny as he arrived at the hangar of the Archangel. Shinn's face was annoyed, as Kira had expected it would be, now that the pilot was forced to wait for his Gundam to finish its last repairs before going into battle. Kira halted beside the pilot, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Don't take too long," Kira said, his voice cheerful even as Shinn snorted at him.

"Whatever. Don't die out there," Shinn answered, crossing his arms.

Another smile was all Kira could manage before he ran towards his Ultimate Freedom, strapping himself inside and powering up the machine.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

**G.U.N.D.A.M Complex**

"_Oi, Kid. You might want to hold that hyper-propulsion back for this battle. I wouldn't recommend it,"_ Murdoch's face appeared on the left screen as Kira was being transported to the catapult system.

"I understand. Thank you, Murdoch-san," Kira answered absently. "Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"

Kira boosted his thrusters, activating the phase shift armour that rendered his mobile suit its usual blue, white and gold colour as the Ultimate Freedom sped out from the Archangel. His radar detected the two approaching mobile suits immediately, approaching him at full speed. He tensed, his hands tightening around the controls of the Freedom as soon as he spotted the familiar Advocate advancing towards him. _That mobile suit..._ Kira thought, gritting his teeth. That mobile suit was the one that had taken Athrun, had sent him to that facility that was eventually destroyed. The image of Athrun pouncing on him, the want to kill so clear in his eyes, was hurtful. "I'll make sure this will be your last," Kira vowed, the beam rifles already equipped in his hands.

Genei smirked, the sight of the Freedom making him push the speed of his Advocate to the limit. He had been vaguely aware of the Captain giving him permission to launch earlier, barely aware of the pilot of the Apocalypse trying to connect to him through the communication channels, barely aware of the orders he had been given, and the promise of back-up he would receive. All Genei knew was that this battle was between him and the Freedom. He launched his missiles as soon as the Freedom was within range, firing with his beam rifle. The Freedom dodged and Genei smirked. It was the usual battle he had often participated in, the usual dance in the air that they performed since the start of the war. And he was beginning to tire of it.

"Seorin! If you won't help me with this one, then you better stay out of my way!" Genei snarled, releasing his DRAGOONs as he did so.

The Apocalypse, which had been flying rather idly beside him, seemed to pause momentarily. There was no answer from the pilot, but the mobile suit activated its Voiture Lumiere propulsion system and Genei smirked. He thought so. _Right, let's go!_

"Kuso!" Kira boosted his thrusters, one hand equipped with a beam rifle while the other was equipped with a beam saber. The Apocalypse moved at a devastatingly fast speed, and Kira did not have his own propulsion system to back himself up. The image of a violet jewel exploded at the back of his mind and Kira flipped, the DRAGOONs on his back firing at the missiles. The two mobile suits attacked, one with its beam saber, the other by firing from afar and Kira gritted his teeth, dodging and slashing as he did so.

The odds seemed against his favour, but Kira was far from wanting to give up. No. He had just gotten his friend back. Athrun had just returned, and there were still so much more that he needed to learn. Why Athrun had wanted to kill him. How he was going to restore peace to the world. He could not afford to be taken down, not right here, not right now.

As the Advocate fired its missiles and launched its DRAGOONs, rather recklessly in Kira's opinion, he increased the speed of the Freedom as he shot away, playing with the missiles as they chased him. Finding the right angle, Kira shot forwards and lashed down at the Apocalypse with his beam saber, flipping back almost a second too late. The blue wings of his mobile suit seemed to shine as he manoeuvered, providing the mobile suit with an almost majestic movement that was unlike what one would expect from a large machine. It had the desired effect. The Apocalypse, still with its Voiture Lumiere propulsion system, managed to dodge the missiles just in time, but the Advocate behind it was not so lucky. Several of its DRAGOONs managed to shoot down the missiles, but two struck him, one of them damaging his flyer pack severely.

"_YOU...!" _the pilot shouted loudly, and Kira narrowed his eyes, his right hand moving to his back, grasping the hilt of his anti-ship Strike sword. He brought the sword down and alarms blared inside his cockpit, surprising him. Instinct and reflexes made him react sooner than his mind could. The Freedom moved to the side, the sword inflicting considerable damage on the Advocate's shoulder, but not enough to sever it as Kira had wanted to. The flash of the red and white beam cannon missed his cockpit by inches, grazing on his back instead, and Kira cried aloud at the impact as the Apocalypse grabbed hold of his leg with one of the claws installed onto its back. His Freedom was shaken out of control and Kira registered the three mobile suits that were advancing towards him – the Zantetsuken, Premium and Imperial. It was the teal and orange Zantetsuken that had fired at him earlier.

"Stop kidding me!" Kira cried out angrily, frustrated more than ever. His cannons locked onto the Apocalypse, the DRAGOONs firing at the advancing Advocate and Zantetsuken and he fired, exactly at the same time the Apocalypse fired its cannons, releasing his leg to reverse from the impact. It was probably insanity on both their parts to fire their cannons at such a short range, but Kira couldn't afford to be trapped and the Apocalypse couldn't afford to be blown to pieces. The two masses of energy met, a large explosion engulfing both mobile suits in red and grey.

.

From the seat of her mobile suit, Hikari shot forwards, her eyes wide as the explosion engulfed her brother and Kira. In their haste on catching up to the Advocate and Apocalypse, she had not even bothered changing into her pilot suit. Her target, after all, was the Archangel and her duty was to lure the ship to the ocean. She watched, frozen, relaxing only momentarily when the Freedom, its foot now missing, and the better part of the right side of his DRAGOONs severely damaged, shot away. It turned, the remaining five DRAGOONs locking onto the approaching mobile suits... including hers. Crying out in surprise, Hikari sped forwards, moving away quickly enough to avoid the shot as she sped past the Freedom and towards the Archangel that was only beginning to come to sight. The Premium was not far behind her, and Hikari released her missiles, her railgun equipped as she began to shoot at the close-in weapons system of the white and red ship.

"_No you don't!"_ A flash of gold interrupted her and Hikari cried out in surprise, bringing up her shield just in time to block the attack by the golden Akatsuki. She gritted her teeth, narrowing her eyes at the new mobile suit. She had placed an extreme amount of faith on the Archangel to unite the world, but the Archangel had failed. They had not met her expectations, and she felt insulted. Angered. Angered with Kira as well, for still piloting that Ultimate Freedom yet not being able to unite the world. She had recognised the voice of the Akatsuki pilot, though she had not expected it. Cagalli Yula Attha. Also one of the last hopes of uniting the world, through the final colony of Heliopolis that still remained standing.

"Get out of my way!" Hikari cried out angrily, switching her railgun for her own beam saber. She released her missiles, frustrated when the Akatsuki maneuvered away and gunned them down. She was skilled, worthy of being the daughter of Dr. Hibiki, but she wasn't as skilled as Kira was. Several missiles escaped, heading to the Archangel, and though a few were taken down, two made impact on starboard side.

.

"Archangel!" Kira cried out, breaking free from the scuffle between the Advocate and Apocalypse. He pushed the speed of his Freedom to the max, determined to get back to the ship, but a wave of alarms in his cockpit halted him and he dodged, the cannons of the Zantetsuken barely missing him. There was simply no way for him to stay put. Kira breathed hard as he glared at the three mobile suits in front of him. The Advocate's shoulder was heavily damaged, and the cannons he had fired earlier had quite easily damaged a large portion of the lower part of the Zantetsuken away, but it wasn't enough. His mobility was affected with his damaged DRAGOONs and Kira pulled out his keyboard, making the needed adjustments as quickly as he could.

Alarms blared as the Advocate fired its missiles and the Zantetsuken locked onto him. Kira clenched his teeth, his fingers moving quickly, looking up only once as the two attacks came closer to him. His mind was registering things by the millisecond, each one almost too long, as he pushed his luck with the time he would need to react. _Come on..._ He needed to adjust his power output, balancing the thrusters with the smoothness on how his Gundam could move with one wing. It was taking too long. _Five seconds... Adjusting circulation... If I increase this, efficiency will increase... Four seconds..._

At two seconds, Kira hit the thrusters.

Something black flashed in front of him as Kira shot away, the missiles and cannon impacting against the shield that just barely protected the blue, white and gold mobile suit. Surprised, Kira turned, the mobile suit flashing past him in a blur, beam sabers equipped, almost slamming itself against the blue and white Premium Gundam. "_KUSO! What the hell did you think you were DOING_?" Shinn cried out angrily, giving another shout of frustration as the Premium hit its Voiture Lumiere just in time, two beam sabers clashing in the sky.

Kira shook his head. "Thank you, Shinn!"

"_Just die already!"_ The Advocate advanced forward and Kira locked his armaments onto it, firing instantly. It dodged, several shots hitting it but it seemed to pay the damages no mind, bearing down with its beam saber. Kira dodged, the duel then becoming more intense as the Apocalypse joined, twice the speed of the Advocate. From afar, the Zantetsuken, designed purely for long-range battles, skilfully fired its railguns and cannons to both the Destiny and the Freedom. Kira clenched his teeth. They were now above water, the Archangel engaged with assisting them the best it could, but even Kira knew that there wasn't much the ship could do. Several fighter planes were engaging the ship, as well as the Imperial that was in battle with the Akatsuki. From the portside of the ship, Mu shot at the fighter planes with the Gaia, but it was apparent that one in particular was difficult to bring down.

.

"_I didn't expect to see you here. So you decided that forgiving your traitor friends will make you feel better?_"

Shinn narrowed his eyes, the two beam sabers clashing in front of him. He pushed forward, trying to overpower the Premium with the force of his thrusters, but they were quite equally matched. His red eyes glowered at the sight of the mobile suit in front of him. "Shut up! You... You don't know anything!" Shinn shouted angrily, pulling away and striking again. "Those people... They... They're the ones who are trying to stop all the fighting!" Shinn cried out, the black and gold mobile suit transforming into a fighter plane as alarms blared inside his cockpit. He dodged the Zantetsuken's cannons and fired his own, transforming again and slamming his foot against the Premium.

The Premium was a low-level mobile suit with an incompetent pilot. A pilot who had been enhanced and re-designed from the original Stellar. A pilot with blonde hair and beautiful pink/violet eyes. A pilot with an unfeeling heart, when all Stellar wanted was to live, terrified of death as she was. It was disgusting. It was cruel.

He slashed forwards, then to her side, then slammed his foot against her, and he slashed again.

And now, this stupid pilot with no soul wanted him to fight against his Commander. His Commander, Kira Yamato, who had located him in Orb after the war and offered him a place in ZAFT. His Commander who had fought for him, who had taught him too much, who still, even now, cried out in his sleep when he remembered the people he had killed. His Commander who never failed so show sorrow at the mentioning of death, who never forgot his victims... The look of defeat, the ultimate surrender of his own life in exchange of Mayu's life that he may or may not have taken. "_How the HELL do you think I'm supposed to fight against someone like that!_" Shinn shouted angrily. "It's you guys... It's you guys who started all this!" _Slash, slash, slash..._

Liesel clenched her teeth, moving her Premium away as her beam sabers blocked the attacks by the Destiny. She was being overpowered, the black and gold mobile suit pushing her far too back. No amount of back-up from the Zantetsuken was able to distract the pilot from his hatred and anger. Liesel felt fear clench through her chest. It was finally over. She had lost all her cards.

"_Liesel!_" The Zantetsuken moved between them, two cannons firing instantly at the Destiny Gaia. Shinn gritted his teeth, dodging the cannons just in time to avoid losing his life, though missing a leg in the process.

He clenched his controls tightly. "You... Don't you dare think you can defeat me like that! _I WON'T BE TAKEN DOWN BY SOMETHING LIKE THIS!_"

Shinn boosted his thrusters, his right shoulder slamming against the cockpit of the Zantetsuken. The machine flew out of control as it impacted against the Premium, sending both mobile suits back. Equipping his beam rifles, Shinn shot again and again, effectively disabling one of the Zantetsuken's cannons and hitting the beam rifle. As the Zantetsuken was forced away, Shinn maneuvered his suit, slamming his remaining foot against the Premium, sending it down. His mobile suit flipped forwards, transforming into its fighter-plane mode, and he aimed his cannon and fired, unaware of the tears running down his cheeks.

In the Premium, the last sight Liesel saw as the beam energy penetrated her cockpit was of a gentle-looking girl, almost identical to her, with the same blonde hair and pink-ish violet eyes, staring at her with sad eyes.

.

"Commander! The Premium..!" Schellen cried out in terror, feeling her heart stop as the Premium was blown by the cannon of the Destiny Gaia.

Shock nearly silenced the crew on the bridge of the _Renegade_ as they watched. Daisuke's face remained unchanged behind the mask, but there was an evident look of anger in Sethe's eyes as the signal was lost from the blue and white mobile suit.

"The Archangel has come within range!" Carnell called, swivelling her chair back.

Daisuke clenched his fists together. He knew it would come down to this, should the _Renegade_ engage themselves in battle one-on-one with the Archangel. Their forces were equally matched, and the Archangel was too strong to be taken down easily. He waited, watching the radar closely as he did so. "Activate the Tannhäuser. Target: Archangel. We cannot afford to miss this shot, so make sure it's a direct hit. It's the only surprise we have. Be prepared to deactivate our cover shield. I want that ship to be able to locate us here at the final moment possible," he commanded, watching as the Archangel came steadily closer, not knowing what was lying at the ocean floor. "Take aim. FIRE!"

.

"High energy attack incoming! From the ocean... It's the _Renegade!_"

"What?" Murrue cried out in surprise as the alarms resounded in the bridge of the Archangel. "Evade!"

Neumann grunted as he maneuvered the ship starboard. They crew braced themselves from the impact, Miriallia and Kuzzey crying out at the sudden movement from the Archangel. The large white and red cannon blasted out from the water with hot water vapour, coming into contact with the ship's portside. The explosion was deafening and Murrue clutched the armrests of her seat as they were hit. "We've been hit!"

"Damage report, now! Prepare the Lohengrin. Mirallia, get Mu back in the Archangel now! We'll pursue them underwater if they're not coming out. Prepare a full turn so we can get a close shot at them! Now!"

.

"_LIESEL!"_

A strangled, angry cry was heard from the Advocate as Shinn destroyed the Premium Gundam. Kira halted in surprise, shock turning into pure horror as soon as he saw the sudden attack from underwater that hit the Archangel. The Zantetsuken engaged the Destiny immediately. The Akatsuki was still engaged with the Imperial, which was now badly damaged despite it having a Voiture Lumiere propulsion system. Apart from the missiles, the Imperial worked with beam weapons that were rendered useless against the Akatsuki's 'Yata no Kagami' anti-beam reflection system. Kira allowed himself to have faith in his sister for that battle. He turned his gaze back onto the Advocate, gripping his controls. All three mobile suits – the Advocate, Apocalypse and Ultimate Freedom – were damaged, but Kira knew the stakes were too high for him to admit defeat. He halted his mobile suit, facing the two in front of him, waiting for one of them to make the first move.

The Advocate moved first, its beam sword out for the first time as it decided that the ending would be the duel to the death. Kira dodged, equipping both his beam sabers and he blocked the attack, pulling away and firing his cannons as the Apocalypse moved in. Together, the two mobile suits were tough to defeat, and without his hyper-propulsion system, Kira was at an absolute disadvantage. For the umpteenth time, the Apocalypse activated its Voiture Lumiere propulsion system, lashing out with his beam sabers. Kira blocked the attack, dodging when one of the claws made a move to grab him and he clenched his teeth, moving back and throwing one of his short beam sabers into it, effectively disabling it. The Advocate charged from behind and Kira shot up, his railguns, cannons and remaining DRAGOONs locking onto the two mobile suits. They moved away as he fired, one going to his left and the other to his right.

It was as if an unspoken agreement happened between them, both the Advocate and the Apocalypse moving in perfect synchronization as they advanced with their swords. The Advocate's DRAGOONs and missiles were released, and the Apocalypse's beam boomerangs shot out as they did so. Alarms blared in Kira's cockpit and he cursed loudly, both railguns in his hand now.

He had him. He had him! Genei gave out a triumphant yell, his beam saber lashing down, only to have the Ultimate Freedom disappearing from view. His alarms went wild, the detectors in his mobile suit sounding alarms that were too fast for him to comprehend. Where had the Freedom gone to?

With the antimatter hyper-propulsion system activated, Kira released his beam boomerang, effectively cutting off the Advocate's arm. He was about to turn and bring the mobile suit down there and then, but the Apocalypse's pilot was better, taking only a few milliseconds to register what had happened. The Voiture Lumiere propulsion system was activated and he fired his cannons at the Freedom, but it was too late. Kira turned, all armaments already locked onto the Apocalypse as soon as it hit the propulsion button. His powerful beam attack was overpowered by the Freedom's multiple attacks, crashing into him in a large explosion that engulfed him. Parts of his cockpit exploded and Ken cried out, the headpiece of the Gundam blown away, effectively disabling all communication and cameras, before another explosion sent him back.

.

Shock halted Hikari from her tracks, her eyes wide as she took in what had happened in front of her. The explosion was deafening, even from where she was with the Akatsuki. She shook her head, almost staggering in her seat, unaware that her headpiece had fallen off as the tears of denial streamed from her face. Her composure, her determination, all crumbled as the mobile suit exploded, and her breath felt constricted within her chest. "No…" Hikari cried, boosting her thrusters immediately to catch what was left of the cockpit of the Apocalypse. "KEEEEEEEEENNNN!"

.

"Commander!" Schellen turned, her eyes concerned as she regarded the masked man who had frozen in his seat. "Captain, we lost the Apocalypse's signal. Both the Imperial and the Zantetsuken are heavily damaged. The Advocate is running low on power!" she reported. Even the ship was heavily damaged, though they had inflicted the same amount to the Archangel.

"Issue for the mobile suits to retreat," Sethe commanded quietly, standing and turning to face the masked Commander. There was a cold, triumphant look in his eyes as he regarded the Commander in front of him. "Curious... Did you hear what Aya shouted earlier, Commander Aiten? Perhaps that was Seorin's real name… Curious, but I thought even among ourselves, our real names should not be known. Maybe they had an intimate relationship… but I never recalled seeing them close before this," he commented off-handedly.

The crew fell silent as they listened to Sethe. Daisuke raised his head, the emotion in his eyes sealed away perfectly, and stood as he faced his Captain. "Your point?"

"How peculiar, how a simple name rings a bell. How peculiar that the records in the medical database tells us that they are in fact, siblings. Perhaps under normal circumstances, the discovery wouldn't be that astounding. But see their talents. Their gifts. And that name. Ken. His appearance…" Sethe took out a gun from the inside holster of his jacket, pointing it to Daisuke. "_Commander Oern Aiten_… How I have searched for you so. You, who remained alive from the group who created Creuset. Doctor Daisuke Shen. Am I wrong?"

.

Kira's eyes were wild as he tried to take in his surroundings. Different alarms were blaring in his cockpit now, alarms that told him that he had pushed his reactor too far. He could not fight any longer, not if he wanted his machine to explode, but even then, all strength had been sapped out from his body. He would have recognised that voice anywhere, even without hearing the name she screamed. Hikari. It had been months since he had heard that voice, months wondering where they had run to after they had saved and rescued him. He had not been prepared for this. "Why..?" Kira whispered to himself, shaking his head.

He watched as the Imperial caught the mangled, twisted cockpit of the Apocalypse. He watched as she sped away, back towards the _Renegade_ that was beginning to resurface to receive them. He watched the Zantetsuken follow. He was not aware of the Advocate turning on him, beam rifle raised, refusing to give up.

"_No you don't!_" Shinn's voice was angry as the Destiny Gaia slammed against the dark green mobile suit. The Advocate lost its colour from the impact, a sign that it was losing power rapidly. The pilot still valued his life, however, for he shot forwards and away from the battlefield. Kira watched them leave, the disbelief apparent in his face above any other emotion he could feel inside.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – <strong>_**Renegade **_**(Present Day)**

As the mobile suits docked, Daisuke bit his lips. He had to buy time, but at the same time, he couldn't act too slowly. He knew he had reached the end of the battle for RENEGADE. The crew were made of Naturals. He was a Coordinator – the only one, apart from Hikari and Ken. There were quite a number of technicians who were Coordinators, but none from the bridge. Apart from him. And now that ZAFT and the Earth Alliance were no longer working together, he would need to go. It had turned out exactly as he had predicted it would be, no surprises. Daisuke reached to his face, taking the mask off and regarding Sethe coolly. The one with no name. He had known from the beginning who his Captain was, of course, but when one wanted to be the enemy, one would need to play with fire. And no matter how beautiful the fire was, it would burn him eventually. There was simply no way around that.

"Since when had you known?" Daisuke asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Since the beginning, I believe. There was just no proof," Sethe answered, narrowing his eyes. "I've been searching for you for far too long. I knew there was something fishy with the way things turned out in the beginning. Your job was too easy, too remote to be detected at the start of it all. That Ultimate Freedom… I bet that was your doing."

"True," Daisuke said. There was just no point denying it now.

"What about Phaedra's base? And everything else? I doubt you haven't thought things through. Why else were you so difficult to locate? I had wanted to kill you, to track you down as the others had, for the damage you have inflicted to this world. For what you have created all to receive the money you needed. But this time... This time, it's over. There's nowhere you can go, _Doctor_," Sethe said, the smirk apparent on his face as his finger tightened around the trigger.

"Captain!" the door slid open and Tierra hurried in, concern on his face.

It was the opening he needed. Instantly, Daisuke turned and bolted, the bullets missing him by centimetres as he rushed to the hangar of the ship. He would try and save the two if it was the last thing he did. He could already hear the pursuit coming from behind, but he had Coordinator reflexes and abilities, and he knew he would outrun them to the hangar. He needed to.

.

Meanwhile, Hikari had just been able to prise off the cover of the Apocalypse's cockpit with help from the technicians and rescue team. "Ken! Ken!" She climbed inside, unfastening the straps and taking off his helmet. He coughed, a trickle of blood running down the side of his lip. "Ken!"

Unfocused eyes steadied and Ken managed his usual smile. "Hey, you. Idiot, what are you using my real name for?" he asked drowsily.

Strong pairs of arms helped him out and he groaned painfully. Hikari was laughing and crying at the same time, though she seemed to be crying more than she was laughing. He didn't know. His feet had just managed to touch the ground when he saw Daisuke appearing, mask off, concern and determination on his face. "Hikari! Ken! Run! Run, now!"

She did not need telling twice, but the shock halted her for a second. A second too long. Acting on impulse, Hikari grabbed Ken who protested painfully and dragged him to the Imperial that was still hunched over, having placed the cockpit of the Apocalypse earlier. The crew responded much too slowly, but Genei, with his training and sharp mind, was already running towards them. Daisuke intercepted, swinging his leg, his foot catching the pilot's head at full force, sending him crashing forwards. Hikari climbed onto the Imperial, pulling Ken with her. "Daisuke!"

"Idiot, just GO!"

The soldiers appeared in seconds, firing the bullets. All hell broke loose, the technicians diving away, some grabbing their weapons without understanding why. All they knew was that the Commander acted as if he was guilty, which probably meant that he was. And that there was an order to kill which must be obeyed. Sethe and Tierra appeared, each firing their guns, and Hikari watched with horror as three penetrated the scientist she had respected so much. "_NO!_" she screamed, tears running down her cheeks as she forced Ken into the cockpit of the Imperial. A searing feeling, like someone had poked a red-hot iron into her back was what she felt as she jumped into her cockpit, followed by another in her shoulder. She sealed the cockpit, crying, powering up the machine, almost unaware of what she was doing.

All she knew was that by the time the machine was out of the ship, she had run out of missiles – her last few, actually. Hikari sobbed, cradling Ken in her arms as she drove into the water and activated her Mirage Colloid stealth system. The Archangel was still where the _Renegade_ had left it, deciding not to pursue for now.

"Hey… You've really done it this time," Ken said quietly, chuckling softly, his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Hikari choked out, shaking her head. How had she been able to lose her composure like that? She had trained her mind, had been prepared for the death of any one of them… or so she thought. Perhaps she was just human, after all. "Ken..?"

He was quiet.

She looked down, touching his face with her free hand. A half-strangled cry escaped her lips and she shook her head again, trying to control herself. "Shh… It's okay. We haven't lost yet, Ken. Sleep, now. I'll wake you up when we arrive," she whispered.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> I know, I know. I deserve something close to a yelling for this extremely delayed update, and I do apologise terribly for the lateness of it. My life had just spiralled out of control these past few weeks with the stuff I needed to do, but I'm sure I can get myself back on track again now. Apologies again! I'll make sure the chapters are somewhat longer to compensate for my absence should it happen again (though I doubt it is needed). A lot of things going on in the next chapters, so stay tuned! Due to my inability to check this website much, I shall be replying to your reviews here once again. XD

Anyway, thank you for those who are still loyally waiting for updates. Many thanks to IgNighted, Windam X, Aizawa Lee Syaoran Vessalius, Maderfole, Suomy Nona, Atlantislux, Statius and San017 for the reviews! Also thanks for the favourites and alerts! Next chapter predicted to be uploaded by 19th November. Please drop a review! It would be very encouraging.

* * *

><p><strong>IgNighted:<strong> I agree that this could be longer. Or at least, I wish it could have been a longer piece. But alas, this is actually my first extended Gundam fic, and it has exceeded my expectations already in terms of word count. I do have another fic in my mind at the moment though. Athrun-centered, focusing on all this brainwashing stuff that he has to endure. Not a sequel to this, but one that I'm still playing around with. Who knows, I might take it up and write it after I finish Renegade. :D

**Windam X:** As you can see, Miho isn't dead. I have Miho exist more to develop Athrun's character than anything else. He will have quite a few things to think about in later chapters, as well as Kira. Shinn has faced the major character development last chapter, which was a lot of fun writing it, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. :D Windams are actually my favourite non-Gundam mobile suit. It resembles the Strike a lot, and the capabilities are quite good for a typical mobile suit.

In response to your review for 'Kira's Freedom' (thanks for reading and reviewing that by the way!), I do plan on writing a lot more one-shots for it. Like, a heck of a lot more. Time constraints are what's stopping me, and nothing more, but your ideas are really good, and I think I'll take it up and write them when I have more time. I love 'Kira's Freedom', it's a fic I can work with without worrying about technical details while at the same time exploring our favourite characters and the development of their lives.

**Aizawa Lee Syaoran Vessalius:** Thanks for the review! I think that confrontation at least made them a bit honest with all that has happened. XD Hope you enjoyed this one!

**Suomy Nona:** Yeah, the Suits CD are when they were younger, before Gundam SEED. There are quite a few of them actually, and there are some that takes place after Gundam SEED, during Gundam SEED Destiny and so on. The CDs are in Japanese, unfortunately. But I think you can find translations around the internet for them.

**Atlantislux:** You're right that Miho is very persistent. I don't think I could have killed him so early after introducing him. XD I disliked the way everyone accepted Mu without question. I wanted at least a bit of confrontation, or at least some questions to why he did the things he did, even without his memories. He's still the same person inside, and I decided none could do the job better than Shinn. ;)

**Statius:** Thanks for the review, and apologies for the late update! Hopefully, I'll be updating regularly again.

**San017:** Haven't seen you in a while. Thanks a lot for the feedback. I know, it's been a while, I've been bogged down with too much to do and haven't the time to both read and write. I hope I can catch up to your story soon as well. Hopefully, the update date is correct this time.


	20. PHASE 19: Hopes and Dreams

**PHASE NINETEEN: Hopes and Dreams**

**C.E 79 Location Unknown – **_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

Liesel was dead. The Commander was dead. Seorin and Aya had disappeared. The Apocalypse was useless. The Imperial was missing. The Premium was destroyed. His Advocate was damaged. The Zantetsuken needed repairs. There was a small bloodbath following the Imperial leaving which had left a number of the crew dead, most of them Coordinators. Genei had watched the whole thing in front of him, and it was only now that things were beginning to calm down. His jaw was throbbing, the inside of his mouth bleeding due to the kick his dead Commander had launched on him earlier. The hangar was a mess. And the body of the Commander had still not been dealt with, along with the bodies of the others.

Genei rubbed his sore jaw and shook his head. What the hell had just happened, anyway? All hell broke loose when the Commander had ran into the hangar. Even he had not been able to grasp the situation properly, though he knew a guilty person when he saw one. Genei walked over to where the body of the Commander lay, his eyes trained on his face. It was the first time Genei had seen him without the mask. An old but handsome face, eyes closed, several bullet holes puncturing his back, his legs, and two on his right arm. Someone wanted him dead for sure. Genei had seen Seorin's condition earlier. He doubted that pilot would survive, unless if Aya had been able to get him immediate medical attention, which seemed rather unlikely.

"Genei," Tierra walked over to him, only glancing at the dead body once. "Are you alright? What the hell happened?"

The other pilot arched his eyebrow. "You're asking me? I thought you were the one who chased after the Commander here?"

Tierra shrugged. "I did. But I didn't know what happened."

"And you're wondering if I do," Genei snorted. "This place is disgusting," he said, looking at the scattered bodies around them. "Guess we're with the Alliance now, huh?"

Tierra shook his head, a signal that he didn't know. "Maybe. It would explain why they took the Coordinators out. This whole thing is a mess. And you started it."

Trained to act first and think later, the punch landed on Tierra's face in an instant, sending him off his feet. His cheek throbbing, he glared at Genei as the golden-haired pilot towered over him, his eyes trained on him dangerously. "What the hell was that for?" Tierra spat.

"Maybe you would explain your words and I'll be able to tell you," Genei answered.

Tierra rose back on his feet. "What? You're saying it's not your fault? Who launched without permission in the first place? Look at this place! The Commander is dead! Seorin and Aya are gone! Liesel is dead! And you're the one responsible for all that!"

"I remember that you're one of the few who shot the Commander in the back," Genei seethed. "_That_ definitely was not my fault."

"If you could only stop and think for a moment –"

"The Freedom was weak!"

"The Freedom is still alive!"

"But not properly functioning!"

"At least better than you are!"

Genei launched himself on top of the other pilot, the two rolling around the floor as they fought. He punched and kicked wildly, his sharp fingernails scratching Tierra's face with satisfaction as he saw and felt the skin break under him. The crew members were on them instantly, pulling them away. Genei's eyes were wild, mirroring Tierra's, as they were forced apart. Captain Tienn was in between them in an instant.

"_What the hell is going on here?_ What's wrong with you two?" Sethe roared, the deep blue eyes glittering with such intensity that they stopped. If there was one person they were unable to disobey, it was Sethe. "Get a grip on yourselves!

"What happened, anyway? What's going on?" Genei asked, rounding on Sethe now. The blue-eyed Captain looked amazingly calm, apart from the anger aimed at them, which did not settle well with Genei at all. He needed answers, and he would demand that he received them.

Sethe narrowed his eyes. "Very well. I'll explain. But I suggest both of you get cleaned up and meet me in the briefing room later. It won't do well to discuss everything in this place," he said, eying the hangar. Genei arched an eyebrow and followed the Captain's gaze. With the bodies still littered around and the hangar still buzzing with energy, it did not seem like the best place to discuss matters at all. Especially not with the Commander's body lying only several feet away from them. Genei turned and stalked away.

It had been a disaster. He was supposed to defeat the Freedom. They were supposed to take the Archangel down. He had succeeded in bringing the Justice down, so why was it so difficult for him to take the Freedom? Genei refused to believe that the pilot was stronger than him. He was a _third-generation Extended_. He had been physically and emotionally designed to be the best fighter, better than most Coordinators by large, and yet, the one pilot of the Ultimate Freedom continued to taunt him. It was insanely frustrating.

Liesel was dead. If there was one thing Genei truly did not wish to happen, it was Liesel's death. He felt strange, knowing that only Tierra and himself were left of the Extendeds. They were supposed to be something like a team, three Extendeds working together… And Genei had not even truly realized Liesel's death when it happened, so wrapped up in the battle against the Ultimate Freedom as he was. He had been surprised especially when the Apocalypse was taken down, but it was only when he was forced to head back to the _Renegade_ that he truly realized that the Premium was gone. That black and gold mobile suit that had stopped his last charge to the Freedom, that Destiny Gaia, had been responsible for Liesel's death. The reality of it all was hard to accept.

Unzipping his pilot suit, Genei tossed it inside his locker and proceeded to the shower room that was located adjacent to the changing room. He turned the water as hot as he could possibly stand and remained there, his face looking up at the shower head as it continued to pour the steaming hot water against his face. Genei had no idea how long he stood under the shower head, but he swore that it must've been close to an hour. Liesel was gone. Genei did not know if he was capable of crying, but under the hot water, it was impossible to find out. He had screwed up big time, but at the same time, he supposed it could not be helped. There was simply no way they could have continued their fight as RENEGADE any longer anyhow.

When Genei finally stepped out of the shower cubicle, he spotted Tierra with his back resting against the doorway, his eyes faraway. Tierra turned his head and looked at him. "It's time we head to the briefing room," he said shortly, tossing a change of clothes to Genei. It was a simple red shirt with black pants, and Genei accepted with a slow nod. Despite their fight, they were both Extendeds. They had the luxury of keeping their feelings and conscious thoughts which was far from what the previous Extendeds received. He supposed that with Liesel gone, Tierra was probably all he had left. Genei dressed quickly, neither of the two pilots mentioning their fight and disagreements earlier. There were other things for them to worry about than what could not be changed.

They walked together, two golden-haired pilots, to the pilot briefing room. The silence between them lay undisturbed, but it was not uncomfortable. When they entered the briefing room, Captain Tienn was already there, along with the mobile armour pilot that they had rarely talked to and seen, Takeru Irashi. Takeru was standing by Sethe's side, almost like an equal than a subordinate. Genei eyed him suspiciously. Apart from the Commander and Captain, he only bothered to talk to the mobile suit pilots. Takeru piloted the mobile armour, usually scouting the area or leading forces from ZAFT or the Earth Alliance. He was rarely seen among the Gundams, and Genei had disregarded his existence completely.

Taking their seats, both mobile suit pilots looked up to their blue-eyed Captain. Sethe eyed them both before stepping forwards, his face grave.

"What we've seen happening in the Eurasian Federation is proof enough that the battle is over. The Naturals and Coordinators have decided that separation is impossible. The Earth Alliance is preparing themselves for the final battle… A final battle that we will take part in," Sethe began, stepping aside as the screen behind him flickered to life. It showed the Earth, with the different Lagrange areas circling them, highlighting the major space locations that were situated around Earth. Genei arched his eyebrow, his interest pulled in considerably. He hadn't had the chance to battle in space before this, and the idea of having a fight where gravity and interference were nearly non-existent exited him. "A secret project from the Earth Alliance has been conducted since the first war, which has just been completed," Sethe said. The image zoomed in to an area located between PLANTs and Heliopolis.

"During the first war, the Earth Alliance had always been proud of the asteroid fortress of Artemis. It was taken down by ZAFT, the Creuset team in particular, and the asteroid had been destroyed. Even so, it had never been destroyed completely. What was once Artemis had been restored following the years after the first war and it now travels in a stable orbit around the Earth, although bumped closer to PLANTs than the original stable area of Lagrange 3. For something this small, it has not yet posed a problem to us," Sethe said thoughtfully. "It's still protected by a lightwave defense barrier, but the advantage we have over PLANTs is the element of surprise. It is no real secret that PLANTs has constructed their own weapon, which is why it is important that we strike first. We will launch the attack on Aprillius and fight to take over PLANTs as we have done before the war," Sethe explained.

The screen zoomed further, revealing the image of the asteroid fortress. To Genei, it did not look like any fortress or dangerous weapon. It simply looked like a floating piece of asteroid.

"Amazing, isn't it? The Alliance has upgraded their technology considerably… They just prefer not to blab about it to the world as the Coordinators do. It's high time we pay back for the damages done in Eurasia… For that large weapon that had killed too many without warning. This ship is currently on a course to JOSH-A where the repairs will be held. As soon as the ship is restored, we will launch to Artemis."

"What about the Archangel? And Heliopolis?" Genei couldn't help but ask.

In answer, Sethe gestured for Takeru to step forward. The light-haired pilot turned to face the two mobile suit pilots, his eyes twinkling with what Genei identified as a look of triumph. "I have been scouting for information on both ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. We know that this last battle is unavoidable, and after Artemis is fired, ZAFT will most likely retaliate with their own weapon. Under the circumstances, attacking either the Archangel or Heliopolis would not benefit us. It won't weaken the enemy. The Archangel will come. Hopefully, it will be caught in the crossfire. Either way, when either side wins, they will be forced to follow. There is no other way around it."

Sethe nodded. "Now, for the plans on what this ship will need to do…"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Eurasian Federation – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

"I told you that you shouldn't use the propulsion system. That Freedom is going to take a while before it can launch again," Murdoch reprimanded, rubbing the back of his head in irritation as he looked over the data of the Ultimate Freedom. "That reactor might as well have fried itself with your stunts, kid. You're just lucky that they couldn't attack again. We hit them pretty good, but the Archangel is going to need some heavy repairs as well," he huffed, already feeling the pressure of being the senior technician aboard the large ship.

Kira only half-heard him. "Sorry, Murdoch-san," he said distractedly. "Will the Archangel be alright?"

"Well, it can still move, if that's what you're asking," Murdoch answered, frowning as he did so. "We're trying our best with the repairs, but we'll need to go back to Orb. There are still many that can help us there. It's useless to try and repair the ship ourselves now," he informed. Releasing another aggravated sigh, Murdoch yelled a few instructions at his technicians and looked back to the written report in his hand. He rubbed his head again, beginning to go off on another string of rants before he finally noticed the look on Kira's face. "Oi, kid… Are you alright?"

Kira blinked, almost as if noticing Murdoch standing there for the first time.

The technician sighed. "Never mind. Go and get your rest, kiddo. You've done well," he said, dismissing the brown-haired pilot.

It was like walking in a dream. Kira was vaguely aware of Shinn, Cagalli and Mu crowding him and asking what was wrong. He only managed a few excuses, a few simple apologies, as he took off his pilot suit and dressed himself in his white ZAFT uniform again. There were thin smiles, false words of comfort, reassurances that sounded so fake that he shouldn't even have tried, as he avoided their questions. He left the Archangel's hangar in a daze, leaving nothing but concerned and worried looks behind him. It was hard for him to wrap the concept around his head, that the person he had been aiming his trigger at had been those who were precious to him after all. Kira thought he had been long past that. He thought that he was done fighting against his comrades, but war seemed to have different plans for him every time he had joined it. One word echoed in his mind constantly. Why. He wanted to know why. And yet, he wondered if he would know. Ken… was he alive? Or had he killed him? Was Daisuke with them?

When Kira stopped walking, he found himself at the viewing deck on the starboard side of the ship. Looking out, he could see nothing but the vast blue ocean in front of him.

_"There are many people with power in this world, Kira. Understand that. Power does not come to people without reason. In the world we live in now, power comes to those who are willing to fight for the same cause. Without support, you have no more power. Without power, there is nothing you can do. Learn that, Kira Hibiki! Learn the true nature of this war, learn the true way of fighting your battles. Bring the change that you want to bring – if not because you are the Ultimate Coordinator, then because you want it!"_

It didn't make any sense. Why would they save his life and provide him with such a powerful weapon to fight for what he believed in, if it meant needing to fight against them? What was the point in that? Or was this just to show him that he had been wrong all these years? That during the final confrontation with Gilbert Durandal in the Messiah five years ago, Kira should have admitted that humans needed to be guided through their genes so destruction and misunderstandings never needed to take place?

"Haro! Haro! Genki?"

The mechanical sound of the pink Haro was familiar and Kira turned, watching as Lacus secured the door of the viewing deck behind her. Haro flapped around, his expression seemingly concerned as it bounced around the room. By now, Kira could effectively block the round toy from his mind, ignoring it completely. But he knew that Lacus adored the Haro, believing with all her heart that Haro was her friend who could understand her, just as how Kira believed the same thing about Torii. Torii… Torii had been given to him by Athrun. Athrun, his childhood friend, and a person Kira would willingly risk his life to protect. If Hikari and Ken had been aboard the _Renegade_ all this time, then that would mean that they were responsible for what had happened to Athrun. Those modifications… enhancements… the administration of drugs, and for turning Athrun's conscious mind against him…

"Kira," Lacus reached his side, her hand moving to touch his arm. Kira refused to look at her. He managed a brief nod in her direction, but his eyes stayed firmly on the floor. How was he to face those azure eyes? Those eyes would see right through him, and after that… what? What would happen? He definitely was past feeling exhausted in crying for the war, for all that he needed to face on the battlefield.

Lacus's brows pulled together, her worry clenching her heart. With each passing day, she worried even more that at one point, it would be too much and that Kira would break. She had seen Kira at his worst, of course. She had also nursed him back to health afterward, but she knew it was never enough. The effects of war could never be fully healed. Scars were left behind, scars of the soul, and these scars she could do nothing about but to soothe whenever they ache. "What is it, Kira..?" Lacus asked gently. She knew that expression on his face all-too-well. The look of someone who did not wish to cry. Her heart ached as she gazed at him.

It took a while before he would finally answer her. All the while, she watched the turmoil in his eyes as he tried to organize his thoughts and feelings. She watched the eyes, unfocused as they were, as they searched. She saw the recognition in his eyes as something clicked, or when a thought managed to distract his thoughts. She watched as he fought against his own sorrow. But fought as he would, Lacus also knew how gentle Kira's heart really was. So when the amethyst eyes finally looked into her azure ones, the tears still fell and she embraced him, feeling his body shake against hers. "Kira…"

"The pilot of the Apocalypse… It was Ken. And the pilot of the Imperial was Hikari. They were with me, in Mendel… They saved me… But… Why..?"

That surprised her.

Lacus pulled away, searching Kira's face. "The pilots were Ken and Hikari..?" she asked. She had seen the battle, of course. She had seen the outcome of it, of what had happened to the Apocalypse.

Kira turned his face away. "When I attacked the Apocalypse… The voice that came from the Imperial was Hikari's. She was crying… She was calling out to him, and I… I didn't know," Kira said quietly, shaking his head. "Why? Why was it them?"

She did not notice when the tears dropped from her eyes. Embracing him again, Lacus closed her eyes and breathed deeply, sharing his pain. She could not answer Kira's question for him, for she herself did not know the answer to it. People fought for their own reasons, and sometimes, those reasons were sad reasons that nobody could argue against. There were no right or wrong paths for them to take, no black and white roads that they could follow. All they had were their desires and the means they had to achieve them. Lacus could feel the exhaustion emanating from Kira and she knew that whatever she said, it wouldn't make a difference when one could never provide answers. So she offered the only thing she could – her presence, her comfort, her touch and her desire to calm him. Sometimes, that was all she could give, and sometimes, that was all a person needed.

.

Opening and closing the pink handphone, Shinn rolled over and moved his arm to rest against his forehead as he stared at the ceiling above him. He felt oddly empty. Or rather, he knew there was something underneath the emptiness he was feeling, some feeling that he did not wish to explore, as he rested and rolled over again, now lying down on his side. The Premium Gundam… It was destroyed. That girl, Liesel… He had killed her. He had actually successfully killed her. She had been his enemy, had tried to turn him against Kira and the rest, and he had killed her. Shinn flipped open the handphone, gazing into the eyes of his long-dead sister, Mayu. Extendeds had killed her, in a battle against Kira. And he had killed an Extended in return… He still felt eerily empty about that.

What were her last thoughts, he wondered. He doubted that she was like Stellar… The real Stellar, who had died in his arms loving him. He thought that by killing Liesel, he might see Stellar again, but he hadn't. He hadn't had a vision of Stellar since the end of the last war. Perhaps there was just no real reason for her to stay with him any longer. Shinn sighed loudly, turning to lie on his back once again. He couldn't sleep, not in this state.

There was a beep as the intercom was pressed from the outside. A familiar voice reached his ears; "_Shinn. Are you there? It's Luna. Can I come in?"_

Raising his head, Shinn watched as the door to the room slid open and Lunamaria stepped inside, her expression perplexed. "There you are. I've been looking for you. Are you alright, Shinn?"

Shinn swung his legs off from the bed as he sat up, rubbing his eyes from the glare of the light that reached him. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"I wasn't even out in battle with that Enigma down," Luna responded, her voice clearly telling him that she wasn't the slightest bit happy about missing the battle. "I saw what you did out there. You were amazing, Shinn. You defeated that Premium by yourself, and you even nearly got the Zantetsuken!"

He couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Thanks, Luna. You would have done well if you could have launched," he said, allowing her to sit beside him.

"I bet we would have taken them down really good if I could have joined. But Chief Murdoch said that the Enigma should be fully repaired in a few days. Maybe I can join in the next battle," she said, rather enthusiastically. Luna stopped to peer at Shinn's face. "Is it alright? The Premium…"

Shinn shrugged. "Why wouldn't it be alright? The pilot of the Premium wasn't Stellar… besides, it wasn't as if she was trying to fight to stop the war. She started it," he answered off-handedly.

Luna stared and Shinn fought her gaze back wordlessly. After a few moments, she sighed in defeat. "If you say so, Shinn. I just want to know you're alright."

"Of course I'm alright," Shinn answered, annoyed now. "I would have fought better if we were in space. At least the _Aurora_ has the deuterion beam transfer system unlike this ship," he said, aggravated. Luna arched an eyebrow and smiled, leaning into him to rest against his shoulder. Surprised, the black-haired pilot was immediately silenced. A very light blush crept to his cheeks and he placed an arm around her shoulders, resting his cheek against her head. The image of the Premium exploding in front of him, shot by his own cannon, appeared in his mind. He had killed her. Liesel.

"Hey Shinn," Luna said quietly, closing her eyes. "When do you think the fighting will end?"

Shinn shrugged. "I don't know," he answered shortly. What was with her asking strange questions anyway? His eyes flickered to the pink handphone lying beside his pillow. "Maybe it'll never stop."

"Hmm…" she answered sleepily. "Captain Ramius said that we'll head to Heliopolis after the Archangel is repaired. I can't wait to see Meyrin."

.

After storing her pilot suit and changing into her military uniform, Cagalli had initially been very worried about Kira's strange behavior as he avoided her questions and moved away, almost drifting, trapped in his own thoughts. She had no doubt that something was bothering her brother, something that might have happened during the battle earlier, but there was no way of confirming it. Or maybe Kira was just worried about Athrun, but it hardly seemed likely that that was the case. She had watched him with concern before finally deciding that perhaps she wasn't the best of people to try and soothe the brown-haired Coordinator. So she had made her way to the bridge of the Archangel, had listened to the damage reports by Murrue before finally informing Lacus of Kira's strange behavior. Needless to say, the pink-haired princess left the bridge immediately. It took a few moments for them to finally decide to return to Orb. Though it had been attacked, it had by no means collapsed.

She had spent a little time in the bridge, trying where she could to be of help to the crew, before finally deciding that it was time to head to the infirmary. It wasn't that Cagalli wasn't worried about Athrun – she just knew that fussing over him would probably irk him even more in his current condition.

As the door of the sickbay slid open, Cagalli spotted the blue-haired Coordinator lying on his bed with an arm covering his eyes. Tentatively, she walked inside and sat by the foot of his bed, watching him. A gentle smile crept to her lips and she reached forwards, resting a hand against his head. Despite everything, she was grateful that he had returned to her. Perhaps not in the best condition possible, but he had returned, as he usually did, always rife with injuries.

It surprised her when Athrun's arm moved, and her wrist was caught by his hand in the blink of an eye. She had expected him to be asleep, perhaps drugged to it by the doctor. "Athrun!"

Athrun's eyes flickered open and he gazed at her before finally sitting up, a small smile on his lips. "Cagalli. Are you alright?"

Cagalli's eyebrow twitched. "Of course I am. How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Athrun answered. Cagalli fought the urge to roll her eyes. Sure. What other answer would he have given?

"You should be resting, Athrun," she scolded him lightly.

Athrun's lips twitched, a small smile forming on his face. "And you shouldn't be?" he asked. Cagalli grimaced. She knew how much she had been pushing herself since he had been kidnapped. "I seem to have missed a lot of things while I was away."

"Of course. We haven't been able to talk properly yet, have we? Waltfeld-san has gone to Heliopolis, along with most of the Orb and ZAFT forces that were with us previously, but apart from that, nothing happened," she said quietly, deciding that the matter concerning Shinn did not carry much significance to the ship. Cagalli had seen how Shinn had fought earlier, had destroyed the Premium and fought to protect the Freedom. She could ask no more from the black-haired pilot.

"I see," Athrun answered. He remembered something else. "Is Kira alright?"

She pursed her lips. "He's fine, but the Freedom is really damaged. So is the Archangel, actually. It'll be a while before Kira can fight again. We're going to Orb now to finish the repairs. I hope we'll be able to go back to Heliopolis soon," she said, worry clenching her chest.

Athrun smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. As one of the many admirals of Orb, he himself wanted to go to the newly-rebuilt colony. "Maybe I'll stay behind in Orb," he said, surprising her. He held a hand up, silencing her before she could open her mouth to interrupt. "Sorry, Cagalli. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. There are still soldiers in Orb who might want to fight in Heliopolis. I can go with them. Right now, it's not as if I have the Justice to fight with. And as long as Kira is around, it's dangerous for me to stay –"

"You idiot!" Cagalli half-shouted at him, her eyes fiery as she stood, looking down at him. He raised his eyebrows, shocked. "Why would you need to stay in Orb? You're always like this, wanting to do everything by yourself! It's time you stop being such an idiot for once!"

"C-Cagalli!"

Cagalli huffed, shaking her head. "Athrun. You have to stop worrying sometimes. Even if you do think you're dangerous –"

"I _am_," Athrun argued. "Cagalli, it's dangerous for me to stay with the Archangel. It's not just Kira that I want to defeat," he said exasperatedly, turning his gaze away. Cagalli noticed that he had his fists clenched tight. "I've felt different since I got on this ship. This whole ship… and everyone in it. It's hard for me to know what I really need to do when I'm around everyone. I pose a threat here, Cagalli. Maybe because Kira is the strongest fighter, I feel more to him than I do to everyone else, but the feeling is there. I don't know what I'm capable of."

Cagalli stared at him. Before long, she was laughing. Athrun stared. "I'm sorry, Athrun. It's just… You worry far too much. So what if you fight against Kira? You seem to do that a lot anyway," she teased, sitting back down beside him. Her eyes softened again and she placed a hand against his cheek. "I understand that you are worried, Athrun. So is everyone else. But if you're not going to face everything, then until when can't we trust you?" she questioned, silencing him. She made a move to hold his hand, but almost instinctively, he pulled away.

Turning his eyes away, Athrun sighed. There really wasn't any point in arguing any further. Besides, he had another thought in his mind. The Apocalypse… The pilot who had undoubtedly saved his life when he had been rescued from the Justice's cockpit. Was he still alive? It did not seem as if anyone could have survived such an attack… and even if he did, would Athrun want to know? If the _Renegade_ would continue being their enemy, then would Athrun be able to fight them? He knew already how difficult it was fighting against Miho, but that pilot was a completely different story. Athrun owed his life to him… Would he be able to do it?

The door of the infirmary slid open and Athrun raised his head, nearly flinching as Kira and Lacus stepped inside. Kira looked… terrible. There was no denying it. Yet, he did not seem to be physically injured, at least from what Athrun could observe. Cagalli stood and walked over to them, greeting them warmly as she did so. Lacus was speaking animatedly, but Kira… Kira was looking at him. Straight at him, with a strange look in his eyes… one that Athrun couldn't decipher why it would be there. It was a _pleading_ look. Almost as if there was something Athrun could give the brown-haired Coordinator, only he didn't know what. What would he, above all people, be able to give to Kira?

There was a gnawing pain in his insides that was steadily growing stronger. Athrun closed his eyes, deciding he should pretend to rest… not that he could in his situation. He willed for Kira to leave, to seek his comfort somewhere else. Still, if there was one thing Athrun knew about his childhood friend, it was that Kira never did anything that Athrun wanted him to do. So when Kira spoke, it took Athrun's all to stop himself from cursing – this time, the anger had nothing to do with what had been done to his body.

"Sorry, Cagalli, Lacus… Can you leave us alone?" Kira asked quietly.

There was a brief silence that followed Kira's request as the two beside him weighed the chances. Athrun opened his eyes. Though Cagalli looked conflicted, Lacus's eyes were understanding. He already knew he couldn't count on them to keep Kira away. "I understand," Lacus said, smiling her usual kind smile. "Let's go, Cagalli. I heard we're going to go back to Orb," she said, grabbing Cagalli's arm and pulling her away. It never ceased to amaze Athrun how Lacus could be so manipulative, yet appear to be so angelic at the same time. The door slid behind them and Athrun closed his eyes again.

"Athrun," Kira called, his voice noticeably closer. The Coordinator had occupied the chair beside his bed.

"What are you doing, Kira?" Athrun asked, the annoyance clear in his voice.

There was a brief pause. "Are you alright?"

It was the final straw. Forcing his eyes open, Athrun glared at him. "Of course I am. Now, what are you doing here?"

Much to his dismay, Kira smiled. It was a very small smile, and Athrun was nearly thrown off-guard with it. But he knew the smile wasn't sincere. Kira looked torn, and Athrun nearly felt ashamed of himself that he wasn't being more sensitive to his friend's inner conflicts. He pushed himself up, a small groan escaping his lips as his body protested. But he managed, and shook his head when Kira offered to help. The ringing was loud in his head, but this, too, he tried to ignore. "What's wrong, Kira?"

"When you were in the _Renegade_… Did you meet the pilots of the mobile suits?"

It wasn't something Athrun had expected. Surprise made him look up. "I did… Though only three of them. I met the pilot of the Premium, Imperial and Apocalypse," he answered. Kira immediately looked alert. "Why?"

"The pilot of the Apocalypse… and the Imperial. Did you know their names? What did they look like?"

"Seorin was the pilot of the Apocalypse… and the Imperial's pilot was Aya," Athrun said, remembering. Briefly, he described their appearances.

"Anyone with silver hair?"

"The Commander, but he wore a half-mask. Kira, what is this?"

Kira clenched his fists, his eyes turned away. "That time when I was rescued in Mendel… there were three people who helped me," he said, briefly recounting what he had told Athrun before. "When I fought against the Apocalypse earlier, I heard Hikari's voice… She was shouting out to him. I think it's them," Kira said quietly.

For a moment, Athrun was completely at loss for words. "Are you sure?"

Kira nodded. "I don't know what their motives are if it's true… But I recognize that voice. It was Hikari's," Kira said, a hand moving to rest against his head. "I killed him."

It was too much. The physical pain was overwhelming, to see Kira in such a vulnerable state and not take advantage of it. Athrun gritted his teeth, his hand moving to his chest as he struggled. He was half-aware of Kira standing, moving to grasp his shoulders as he called him. He half-registered telling him to go away, the other half of him beginning to say things that his mind could not register. Athrun slumped to his side, the feeling of anger, anger at so many things, blinding him from the pain. His head cleared only once, very quickly, but enough to hear something that nearly made him freeze:

"Kuso! Athrun! Fight it, Athrun. I'm tired of fighting against my friends…"

In that split moment, he registered that his free hand was gripping Kira's uniform in such a way that it would be a death hold on someone's neck. Someone hurried to them, and Athrun felt a small sting of a needle puncturing his flesh. There was a small reprimand of pushing him too far which Athrun wanted to argue against, but his body was beginning to go limp, a dark cloud taking over his thoughts. He felt Kira's hand loosening his grip on the uniform and Athrun grabbed Kira's arm, albeit feebly. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, and remembered no more.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Lagrange Area 3 (Present Day)<strong>

The report that he had received from Earth had been shocking, but it wasn't anything that Yzak hadn't been expecting. He shut the computer of his room, scowling somewhat at the report he had just read. Waltfeld had arrived a few short weeks ago with forces from Orb, and they had been lying low ever since, doing the usual of gaining intelligence and working towards strengthening the defense of Heliopolis, the last neutral colony standing. Today would be the day for them to finally test the two large prototype disks with the use of a new weapon, the Gamma Cannon, that would be installed on the _Aurora_ in a few short hours.

With the hope that the Protectors of Heliopolis could truly live up to their expectations as being large gamma absorbers, Yzak actually had high expectations for the large disks. He had himself contributed a lot of time and effort in their development and was certain that this time, they could truly test them out. With the RENEGADE now dissolved, it was only a matter of time before the final battle would begin. Even now, the GENESIS ZERO remained undetected as to its whereabouts. Now more than ever, Yzak was certain that it was built inside an asteroid, in which combing for the actual asteroid before it was fired would be absolutely impossible. Yzak had agreed with Waltfeld on the matter – he would work in getting Heliopolis's Protectors working, and Waltfeld would be scouting PLANTs for the whereabouts of the GENESIS ZERO. In truth, Yzak had no real faith on Waltfeld. He would have to count on his luck and the strengths of the Protectors to ensure their safety. It was a gamble, but then again, the whole idea of war was a gamble.

"_Permission to enter_," a familiar voice from the intercom interrupted his thoughts.

Yzak looked up. "Enter," he answered shortly.

The door opened and Shiho stepped inside, saluting her Commander in respect before moving to stand beside his table. Yzak raised his eyebrows a fraction of an inch, prompting for her to continue. "We've received a message from Commander Waltfeld. They will return to Heliopolis at 0500 hours. ETA 120 hours. They've requested that they rendezvous with the Eternal at Point A."

A small smirk appeared on his face. "So they're finally coming back. Did they find anything?"

"He didn't say," Shiho answered, arching her eyebrow at the purple-uniformed General. "The installation of the Gamma Cannon is going well. They expect to be testing it in three hours," she said, turning to a different page on her clipboard. "And the Archangel is scheduled to launch to Heliopolis after they finish the repairs in Orb."

"Very well," Yzak said, standing. "It's about time they come here. The large battle is scheduled to happen very soon. Meyrin has been keeping close tabs on the Council," he said, grimacing somewhat. One of the only reasons why Meyrin could penetrate the system so easily was because it was too simple to go through his mother's network which was simple enough to hack, with Yzak being her son.

They exchanged a few more words, a few more news and developments of Heliopolis, PLANTs, the Earth Alliance, Archangel and RENEGADE, before Shiho finally excused herself and exited his office. Yzak sighed and walked over to the window, looking over the view of the neutral colony he had been given the responsibility to protect. It was such a small place, housing so little civilians, and he needed to protect it. Against a weapon like the GENESIS, Heliopolis could disintegrate into nothing more than small pieces of debris in an instant. Yet they were still trying, and he held his faith that it wasn't impossible to achieve.

Before this, Yzak had never truly paid attention to the complexities of humanity that had always sparked war between people. Perhaps, if he had paid more attention to his studies of History and Civilization, he might have understood better… A little like Athrun, perhaps. It was difficult to grasp the concept on how humankind always had reasons to fight against each other. Once, it used to be differences in beliefs and races. Then, people fought over natural resources and power. When that ran out and the world resorted to using nuclear power, there were fights over which countries had more and which did not have enough. Finally, when the threat of Coordinators came, the 'humans' or 'Naturals' finally found themselves united to fight against the Coordinators, the threat of what wasn't 'human'. Though everyone knew that even in the Earth Alliance, there were still fights between the Eurasian Federation and the Atlantic Federation over which should hold more power.

From an outsider's perspective, it was nearly comical.

All these years, Yzak had always decided that it was the Council who needed to worry about who was right and who was wrong. He was a soldier who followed his leader's orders without hesitation. War was a tool of politics, after all. Yet he had changed since then, and had joined a group who fought because they had the same beliefs and wants instead of just blindly following the orders from above. Silently, Yzak wondered if that made them, the Archangel crew, the same as all the rest – just a bunch of people fighting over what they wanted, for one purpose that they knew they wanted. It was unnerving to think about.

Yzak didn't know how long he stood there, his thoughts occupied with the world around him. His thoughts were only broken when Dearka stepped into his room, informing him that they were ready. With a nod of acknowledgment, Yzak followed the blonde-haired Coordinator out and headed to the _Aurora_ that was already beginning its launch sequence to depart from the Heliopolis station.

Reaching the bridge of the _Aurora_, Yzak was greeted by Kira's second-in-command, Laniel Ghens. The crew stood and saluted him as he entered. Yzak nodded once. "Are we ready for firing?"

"Ready as ever. The disks are stationed outside already. We're only going to try one," Laniel answered. "Launch the _Aurora_! It's time we see what our months of work are really worth!"

The _Aurora_ exited the hangar, going on a steady pace as it travelled further away from the neutral colony. Quite a distance away, Yzak could see one of the two large disks already installed between two ships, glowing a rather beautiful shade of blue and white. It seemed fragile – it did not appear as if it could withstand the Enigma Buster's High-energy Hyper-Impulse Cannon, let alone a Gamma Cannon. Yzak frowned, feeling the slight tenseness in his shoulders as they neared it.

"Distance 500."

"Ten degrees starboard. Activate the Gamma Cannon. Make sure you aim this one properly. I don't want any unnecessary casualties," Yzak commanded, his eyes on the screen in front of him as they positioned the ship exactly in front of the disk. "Launch the Lieutenant Hahnenfuss and Captain Elsman. Prepare to fire the Gamma Cannon. Wait for my command," he said, his eyes level.

The two Enigmas appeared in the line of sight following their launch. In only a matter of moments, they had positioned themselves at the right places, everyone ready, everyone anticipating, as they prepared themselves with their faith on the strength of the Protectors of Heliopolis.

"Connect me to Captain Elsman."

"_Aurora, Buster. You are cleared to fire,_" Dearka's voice came out from the internal speakers of the _Aurora_ bridge. Yzak nodded, inhaling once as he trained his eyes on the blue and white shield.

"Charge 100% completed. Ready on your command."

This was it.

After so many months of working, after allowing fellow Coordinators and Naturals alike to fight by their side on Earth, this was what would determine whether their efforts meant something or not. All those lost soldiers. All those traitors, on all sides. All those lies, hopes, dreams. All those who had died fighting. And Yzak's comrades, down on Earth, still battling despite everything going against their odds. The Archangel. Dearka, Shiho, Athrun. Kira Yamato.

"_FIRE!_"

The energy coming out from the Gamma cannon was nearly invisible, but Yzak had seen GENESIS fire enough times to know a highly-concentrated Gamma-ray attack when he saw it. There was a small momentum on the _Aurora_ as the cannon fired, followed by an eerie silence as everyone watched with baited breath as the attack came in contact with the disk. Blue and white particles turned a bloody shade of red in an instant as it absorbed the energy, converting it, stopping it. Yzak could have sworn that the two ships were pushed back as it took the impact, but it was too far to see. It seemed to go on forever, the redness of the disk glowing dangerously before finally dying down, turning into a lighter shade of pinkish red.

The silence was profound.

"…_Aurora, Buster. The ray has been absorbed. I repeat, the ray has been absorbed,"_ the report came in after what seemed like a stunned silence on Dearka's part.

Instantly, the bridge came to life, crew members shouting in joy and happiness as they hugged each other, giving high-five's and crying out their thanks to the heavens above. Yzak relaxed, a smile now apparent on his face as they listened to the report from the two ships. It had been a success. The disks had not broken down. Though a fire from the GENESIS would use more energy, the disks could still have absorbed more than what they have given. Hopes remained high, and Yzak issued the order to retrieve the two white Enigmas. It seemed like it had been a long time since, but they finally had something they could celebrate.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 ZAFT Military Headquarters (Present Day)<strong>

Dark brown eyes turned from the woman in front of him to the small boy that was standing beside her. Yuri Amalfi was tired. Of the world, of the losses, of the pain, of the regret… of everything. Perhaps one of the things he was tired of the most was the fact that he had gone too far, had dug the hole too deep, for him to be able to back away and tell the world that he was giving up. Heavens knows, he wanted to, but he himself knew that it was simply impossible. He couldn't do it. This was his war, his battle, and he needed to finish it. More than anything, Amalfi wished that he could wipe the whole world off. It was probably the only way for him to achieve peace… true peace. Regardless of what Athrun had told him, regardless of what he knew… They just couldn't obtain true peace.

A small part of him couldn't deny that the boy in front of him, this Miho, intimidated him to a degree. His eyes were nothing like the eyes of his late son, Nicol. There was no compassion, no sign of life… just two depthless pools of hatred and curiosity that was trained upon him. Silently, Amalfi wondered if his eyes were the same. He wondered if his eyes had changed as well.

"Congratulations in your accomplishments… Though it was quite unfortunate that the Freedom couldn't be taken down, I understand that the mobile suit itself is nothing as how I should have equipped you with. It was too large, too bulky, but it served its purpose and it served it well," Amalfi said, his voice calm as he addressed the boy in front of him. "You will, of course, be provided with a new mobile suit that will be much more suitable with your style of fighting. I understand you like melee weapons. Just like… Athrun Zala," Amalfi said, nearly choking on the last name that he had to say.

Miho looked up. "A new unit?"

"Are you sure?" Rita interjected before Amalfi could continue. Her eyes were defiant, as Amalfi knew they would be. He raised his eyebrows slightly. "Miho could endanger our own soldiers if we put him in the middle of the battlefield!"

"His target will be the Freedom," Amalfi answered. "The other soldiers should be easy enough to take down, but I cannot promise that the Freedom will go down without a fight. And I trust Miho to carry out the task."

"The Freedom…" Miho said, his voice almost dreamy. "And the Blue Haired. If I see him, I want to kill him."

Amalfi nearly flinched. It was impossible for him to prevent Miho from attacking Athrun if the young soldier appeared on the battlefield. Athrun had done enough damage for Amalfi to know that keeping him alive would well distort his plans. But he still could never forget that it was Athrun who had fought and claimed justice for Nicol. Instead of answering the young pilot, Amalfi turned his gaze back to Rita. "I understand we were able to perform some trials on Athrun Zala, am I correct?"

Rita nodded. "Though I don't know how well it has affected him. Several of the specimens were killed when they tried to attempt to do what he had done to the facility."

"By right, the Earth Alliance was largely responsible for bringing Phaedra's Base down… it wasn't Athrun working on his own, I am quite sure. Maybe a stroke of pure luck," Amalfi mused. Pure luck, indeed.

The other managed a shrug. "It would definitely explain why he was capable of entering a battle against Miho. All that he had done suggested remarkable will which is potentially very dangerous to his mind. It's amazing he has come this far. You weren't mistaken when you said he would have been a very promising sample," Rita said, her voice grudging. She was not amused in the least that Athrun had managed to get away, not when he had been so promising with his accomplishments. "From Athrun's records, we know that he and the old Strike pilot, Kira Yamato, had been very close friends since childhood. Naturally, Athrun's brain responded very strongly against any stimulants that reminded him of the Kira, even the slightest. This we use to our advantage… To try and create an adverse reaction, to make him deem Kira as the enemy instead of a friend," she explained, tapping her clipboard thoughtfully.

Amalfi's brows immediately pulled together. "The Strike's pilot is dead."

"He is," Rita agreed. "So we've actually been playing a lot with possibilities here. One link between the Strike and the Freedom is the Archangel. The Freedom and the Archangel are two entities that cannot be separated, just as how the Strike was when it was with the Archangel. I understand that the previous version of the Ultimate Freedom was called the Strike Freedom. It suggests, at the very least, that the Strike and the Freedom has very close ties to the Archangel. It is this tie that we take use of. By associating Athrun with the pilot of the Strike, we can form a link to the Freedom as well. There is no denying that Athrun must've been very closely acquainted with the pilot of the Freedom. Should there be any possibility, any at all, in which the pilot of the Strike had survived, then there should be no mistake that the same pilot is the one who is piloting the Freedom."

"Impossible!" The word escaped his mouth in a loud shout before he could stop it. Amalfi had jumped to his feet, his eyes flashing dangerously as if threatening anyone who might have said otherwise. He refused to believe that his son's killer was still alive. It would be unforgiveable, inexcusable… Athrun had killed the pilot of the Strike, and despite the rumours, Amalfi refused to believe otherwise. He inhaled deeply, controlling his emotions. It would do no good to lose his temper right here, right now. Certainly not towards the two standing in front of him.

Raising his hand in apology, Amalfi lowered his voice as he spoke; "That is quite impossible, but I can see the logic behind it and I do thank you for your work. Maybe Athrun might be strong enough to fight, but if he isn't, then we have delivered our own pawn right into the Archangel's belly. That should be enough in itself. In the meantime, we are preparing for the final battle against the Earth Alliance. GENESIS ZERO has been completed, and it should be ready to fire in a few short weeks once the test drives have been finalized one last time. I want you to prepare Miho for the final battle… It's high time the Coordinators are acknowledged as living humans and not modified machines," Amalfi turned to Miho, still addressing Rita as he spoke. "The new unit… ZGMF-X00A Omnicide. Rita, I shall provide you with the details of the GENESIS ZERO. A worthy soldier of mine will brief you with the events of the final battle," he said, dismissing them both.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 ZAFT Military Headquarters – Unidentified Shuttle (Present Day)<strong>

"Commander Waltfeld! We found it!"

It was the cry he had been waiting for too many days now, and to Waltfeld, it was like music to his ears. He sprung up from his seat and was beside DaCosta in an instant, his eyes running through the information on the screen quickly as he skimmed the findings. A satisfied smirk was on his face as he read through.

Finally, they had breached the network security.

Waltfeld knew it would happen sooner or later. One simply could not be able to hide a large weapon for too long. All it took were patience, determination, and the belief that it was within human nature to have mistakes to find the necessary loophole to infiltrate the network. Waltfeld had to give credit that Amalfi was a very careful man, but there was no such thing as being too careful.

They had finally obtained it. The data needed for the weapon named GENESIS ZERO. And as Waltfeld looked over the details, he discovered that he had been proven right. During the first war, it was a simple gamma ray emissor. In the second war, they used mirrors to bend the beams of the Requiem before resorting to the use of Neo-GENESIS. Now, five years after, mankind had proven that they never had limits on how far they could achieve. The satisfied look on Waltfeld's face disappeared as he read through and in the end; he shook his head, walking back to his seat.

"Launch the shuttle. It's time we head back to Heliopolis… The Eternal should be waiting for us. I'm sure the Archangel would want to see this…" he said gravely. The information of the new mobile suit was also on screen. Silently, Waltfeld shook his head once again. With each passing war, things just had ways of becoming more and more difficult, much more impossible.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb – Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

After being away from Orb for so long, coming back was like a dream. Kira inhaled the smell of the ocean deeply as they made their way closer to the shore. The place was densely populated, but rebuilding had taken place already where possible. It would be a long, hard journey to restore the country, but Kira had faith that it would happen. Just how the other places in the world would keep on standing after being attacked. It was just within human nature to keep on surviving.

He was dressed in his white ZAFT uniform, though the uniform was unbuttoned, revealing the light blue shirt he wore underneath. It was warmer here, and Kira welcomed the fresh breeze. In his hands were detailed reports of Athrun's medical condition… His friend, whom Kira had not visited since the last time he went there. Kira turned his eyes back on the medical report, reading them for the umpteenth time.

He was never an expert in biology, or in any field of medicine. But Kira knew how to make sense of information when he received it, and this was what he was trying to do now. To understand, to see the changes, to compare and to try and figure out what he could do and what might be possible. It was slow progress with the enormously thick file, but this was the only way for him to distract himself, especially while the Freedom remained damaged. The chemicals that were listed were easily understood. By just glancing at the records obtained from Athrun's old files and the new ones, Kira could already detect several changes that had happened in his body, chemically. Not as drastic as one from an Extended, but still noticeable. Kira wished he had more knowledge that would explain to him what the changes meant apart from 'enhanced' and 'modified'.

If there was one thing Kira understood, it was that Athrun reacted differently to the different stimulants presented to him. Some things had no effect. Others, like Kira himself, could physically hurt him.

He couldn't understand it. The actual details on the paper he could understand, but the motives behind them were ones that Kira couldn't get. Why? What was the point? Why modify? Why Athrun? Questions burned inside his mind as he was constantly reminded of Athrun's physical pain in trying to fight what he had become. It angered him. It angered him more than anything else, to see something like that happen to his friend. Why Athrun? Why hadn't it been him, Kira Yamato, who had been modified when Daisuke, Ken and Hikari had taken him in? It didn't make sense. Nothing made sense. Not the war. Not the battles. Not the people involved in it. Nothing.

A gentle hand resting on his hand made Kira look up in surprise. Kind azure eyes were gazing at him and he looked down, noticing that he was clenching the papers too tightly that it crumpled under his fingers. Kira relaxed, throwing Lacus an apologetic gaze.

She smiled in return. "Are you alright, Kira?" she asked quietly.

Kira nodded. "I'm fine. Thank you, Lacus."

Lacus beamed and settled to sit beside him. "It's so beautiful out here, isn't it, Kira? I wonder what happened to our orphanage. I hope it's alright," she said, a small hint of worry colouring her tone.

Kira moved his arm to circle her shoulders. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright. And we'll return with the children soon," he promised. He knew that PLANTs was never a home to Lacus, just as how it never was to Kira. To them, home was Orb. It always had been.

Lacus had an unreadable expression in her eyes. It was quite unusual for Kira to be optimistic, but this she could not decipher. "Kira… What are you..?"

"I think this war will be the last, Lacus," Kira said, the hope evident in his voice. "And when it ends, I want to return here… with the children. With you," he said, turning his face away. The blush was apparent in his cheeks.

She was speechless, but she couldn't deny that she was extremely happy with his suggestion. Lacus nodded and stood, her arms spread out. "Maybe we can build a school, Kira. It would be wonderful to have everyone together after everything," she said cheerfully. "We'll return here with everyone, right?"

A small, thoughtful nod. "Yes… With everyone."

The door slid open and both Kira and Lacus turned. A familiar call followed by the sound of flapping wings took Lacus's attention as Torii circled them, but Kira's eyes were still on the door as Cagalli helped Athrun on the deck. Torii flew, landing on Athrun's shoulder, and Kira blinked in surprise. The papers in his hand were almost forgotten. He stood, a small part of him pained that his body was alert… waiting. "Athrun…" Kira said softly. He wondered if he should leave.

Athrun, too, looked tense. But he soon relaxed and gave a small nod to his childhood friend. "It's nice out here," he commented easily, throwing a warm smile. Kira relaxed, returning the smile. Human determination never ceased to amaze him.

* * *

><p><strong>ZGMF-X00A Omnicide (Miho)<strong>

**Unit Type: **Close-Quarters Combat Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number:<strong> ZGMF-X00A**  
>Code Name:<strong> Omnicide**  
>Manufacturer: <strong>Integrated Design Bureau (ZAFT)**  
>Operator:<strong> ZAFT**  
>Launched: <strong>C.E 79

**General Characteristics  
>- Overall Height:<strong> 17.63 meters**  
>- Empty Weight:<strong> 63.40 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Red and Black

**Power Plant:** Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Trans-Phase Shift Armor**  
>Armaments<strong>  
>6 x ACNP-5X Exodus DRAGOON mobile weapon wing<br>- 2 x AX-294A Beam Saber  
>- 2 x PE453A "High-Cut" beam boomerang<br>2 x MMI-GAU25A 20mm CIWS, mounted on head  
>2 x MMI-GAU26 17.5mm CIWS , mounted on chest<br>2 x MA-M100X "Edin" Beam Saber (stored on hips, able to form a double-sided or single-sided beam saber)  
>2 x MA-XE395 High-energy Beam Rifle (stored on hips)<br>4 x MA-M200T "Aegis" Beam Short Blade (stored in legs)  
>1 x MA-45F Beam Assault Cannon (mounted on right shoulder)<br>2 x MX2300 Beam Shield Generator (installed on arms)  
>1 x AX123 Anti-Ship Strike Sword<p>

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>High-Mobility Aerial Tactics (HiMAT) System<br>Neutron Jammer Canceller  
>DRAGOON system<p>

**Optional Equipment**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Maybe you can all see what's going on here. This chapter, and a few others after this, will be transition chapters where everything will be tied together because the end of the fic is just so darn near. I felt rather teary writing this whole chapter up, just because the end is so near to us. And now, I have a request to all of you out there. I want to know, quite seriously from all of you, whether you'd like to see another fic from me in the future or not. And if the answer is yes, what type of fic. Something like this one, where there's the plot and fighting and everything, or something where it's just focused on the characters, no fighting. I know I do better in character development than I do with technicalities and battles. And I'd like some opinions, if there are any. :D

As usual, my thanks goes to the wonderful readers and reviewers that have stayed with me thus far. My thanks go to Suomy Nona, Sleepyreader319, IgNighted, Statius, Aizawa Lee Syaoran Vessalius and Beitrix for the reviews as well as to those who alert-ed and favourite-d the story. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter - please let me know and drop a review. :D Stay tuned for the next update! It's scheduled to happen around 27th November 2011.

* * *

><p><strong>IgNighted:<strong> Athrun is a seriously fun character to write. As I work on Renegade, I realise that this story is quite Athrun-centric as much as it is Kira-centric. I really want to write an extended fic for Athrun - it's just that I'm not sure what style I should take up. Whether I should create a side-story, or whether I should write an AU fic. Whether I should include battles with mobile suits or whether I should just focus on his character. It's all still undecided. Any suggestions? :P Anyway, thanks for dropping the review! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! I myself can't wait for this fic to end.

**Statius:** Unfortunately, we know for sure that Daisuke is dead in this chapter. Ken and Hikari conditions will be revealed in the next chapter. They are quite major characters in the fic, so they will get quite a bit of cameo in later chapters - all three of them.

**Aizawa Lee Syaoran Vessalius:** Oh my! I'm sorry you nearly cried. That must've been terrible. Though things will just go worse from here onwards. Next chapter (or the on after) will be quite powerful. But I still hope you'll enjoy it!

**Beitrix:** Welcome to Renegade! Thanks a bunch for dropping a review! I'm glad you seem to be enjoying the fic so far. Keep me updated? Hope you'll catch up to us in time for the ending!


	21. PHASE 20: The Divine Justice

**PHASE 20: The Divine Justice  
><strong>

**C.E 79 Orb – Archangel (Present Day)**

For the next few days that followed after they had docked in Orb, Kira would actually go as far as saying that he felt truly at peace. It seemed like an abnormally long time since he felt that way, ever since the war began those months ago. He filled his days helping out with repairs for the Archangel as well as the repairs for his Ultimate Freedom. Both made slow progress, but they still progressed nonetheless. It was a rather fake sort of peace, the kind where you know, deep down, something large and painful was going to happen. But for now, Kira felt perfectly happy to allow himself to be absorbed with his work and nothing else.

"Kira! Need any help there?"

Kira leaned back, his eyebrows raised. There, upside-down, was Athrun. Removing the spanner from his mouth, Kira gazed at his friend. Athrun, reading the unvoiced question, sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. "I _did_ receive the green light, Kira," he said, frustrated.

He couldn't help but smile. Athrun looked as if he would belong better in a museum with all the bandages that covered his body. But Kira knew how his friend was whenever he was injured. Athrun hated to be a burden, and he wanted nothing more than to help whenever possible. It was a trait Kira had learned to grow up with, and it was one of the qualities his best friend had never changed about himself, since they were children. "It'd be nice to have a toolbox up here," Kira said, turning back to the mainframe of his Gundam. In his eagerness to repair the Ultimate Freedom, he had armed himself with only the most basic of tools (screwdrivers, a wrench, a spanner, tapes, wires, scissors) and had neglected to bringing up his toolbox. It wasn't as if there was anywhere he could place the toolbox anyway, except at the platform that had now disappeared. Kira was working at an odd angle, with his legs hooked to the inside of the Freedom's back, holding him in place. Most technicians would have suffered from back cramps by now, but Kira was too focused to give the dull pain any thought.

There was a brief silence as Athrun disappeared for the toolbox and a platform. Last time Kira looked at the clock, it was nearing 2AM. He supposed at least two hours had passed since then. It didn't surprise him that Athrun was having difficulties sleeping. War had that effect. Once the war was over, Kira would usually hibernate for the first few months to compensate for the lack of sleep he had endured when he fought. One could never have enough sleep when in the military, in his opinion. Sleep was a rarity, a gift that should be embraced and enjoyed.

There was a whirring sound as Athrun raised himself to Kira's level, a toolbox in his hand. "How is it?" he asked.

Kira shrugged, the movement awkward when he was almost upside-down. "Murdoch-san said that there were a few problems with the thrusters. The power output just won't balance. I think there might be a leak somewhere, but I can't find it," he said, grimacing at the thought of an unstable Freedom flying through the skies. Kira had experienced the worst of the worst battle grounds in his many years of experience piloting mobile suits, but maneuverability was something that he could not forsake.

"What about the comm systems?"

"External cameras," Kira answered shortly.

Under normal circumstances, Kira would have refused to let anyone near the headpiece of the Freedom. Most things, like the power output, thrust, maneuverability and strength of weapons, could be easily adjusted with the Gundam's OS. But the external cameras needed to be tweaked manually, and this he normally preferred to do himself. It was generally important for him to be able to see even the most minute of details of the enemy mobile suits, but it was also typically important that he did not focus too much. The perfect balance was different for every pilot, but getting it to inch-precision was what always proved difficult. For pilots like Cagalli or Waltfeld, such slight tweaking might not be registered. To pilots like Kira, Athrun, Shinn and maybe even Mu, they could count for the number of mobile suits they could bring down. For Kira and Athrun, who had both been in each other's cockpits for far too long, their preferences were known to one another, at least enough for Kira to trust that Athrun would be able to adjust the settings correctly.

As Athrun disappeared to climb into the headpiece of the Ultimate Freedom, Kira paused what he was doing and watched his friend's retreating figure. He knew what Athrun was doing, of course. He was facing his fears, fighting against what he knew his mind wanted to do even though his heart was protesting against it. In truth, Kira felt a strange feeling of envy towards Athrun. Unlike Athrun, Kira was unable to face his fears. The thought of fighting against the Apocalypse and the Imperial terrified him. He had fought against his friends for far too long, and he refused to do so again. He feared that at one point, he would point the trigger to those he cared about and not feel anything. That possibility scared him more than anything else.

Releasing a small sigh, Kira turned back to his work, allowing his mind to distract itself with the repairs of his mobile suit. They worked in silence, except for the few words exchanged between them on what needed to be done and what had been completed. They were reprimanded by Murdoch several times, all of which they ignored in favour of the work they were doing, until the elder technician finally gave up and merely helped and instructed them on the repairs that they could do. Countless hours passed, with neither of them stopping as they continued to work. Kira, at the very least, began to enjoy Athrun's silent company. Despite the heavy bandages and the appearance of nothing short but a mummy, Athrun never complained. Nor did he give any indication of tiredness or pain, physical or mental. Still, Kira kept a close eye on his friend. By the time they stopped working, it was already late afternoon.

"Athrun. Let's stop for now," Kira called to the blue-haired Coordinator as he poked his head out of the Freedom's cockpit.

Athrun gave a final, satisfying wrench before craning his neck to look at his friend. "Ah. I've just finished with this part as well. How is it?"

"Better now," Kira said reassuringly as he grasped the lever of the Freedom. Athrun navigated the platform, both of them reaching the ground at the same time.

"So, you're finally calling it a day?" an amused voice made them turn as Murdoch walked over to them. "That Freedom should be able to fly again by now. You should test it later," he said, turning to Kira. "I'll have it transferred to Morganroete's hangar first."

Kira nodded. "Alright. We're just getting something to eat first."

"With those faces? I suggest a shower first. And sleep," Murdoch laughed, shaking his head. Kira and Athrun exchanged glances. Both faces changed as they tried to contain their laughter. They were smeared with all sorts of grit, blackened faces that shone with sweat. Both were thankful they hadn't worn their uniforms while working. They hadn't exactly worn a jumpsuit either. Kira wondered how Lacus would react if she found him like this. He supposed she would be busy with the remaining people of Orb, helping where she could, and hoped that she wouldn't return to the hangar and see him like this.

"Thanks, Murdoch-san" Kira said, smiling lightly as he turned to head out of the hangar. They made their way to the changing room, eager to get out of the sweat-drenched clothes. Kira hadn't expected that he would be working on the Freedom that long. He originally only wanted to check the cockpit and thus hadn't bothered to change into a jumpsuit. Naturally, when they arrived at the changing room near the hangar, there were no spare clothes… except for pilot suits and old Earth Alliance uniforms. Pulling the old uniform out, Kira could just feel himself grimacing at the thought of wearing it again. The uniform brought so many old memories flashing back that he hadn't realized Athrun moving to stand next to him.

"Earth Alliance uniforms?" Athrun asked, surprised.

Kira shrugged. "No others left. Unless if we want to head to the dorms."

"And risk getting caught like this?" An amused smile. "It should do until we get back."

Sighing, Kira followed and stepped into the shower, feeling the hot water cleansing his skin. He was surprised the old Earth Alliance uniforms were still kept inside the Archangel. Then again, there was no reason for them to be thrown out, either… not when the Archangel typically could have good use of them for sending out their members to infiltrate a base.

Armed with a bar of soap, Kira proceeded in scrubbing off the grime from his face and arms, his face twisting slightly as the old memories came back to him. The whole memory was years old, but Kira could still remember things very clearly. Studying in Heliopolis. Meeting Athrun. Piloting the Strike. Rescuing Lacus. Joining forces with Cagalli. Killing, endless killing. He shook his head, wondering how he had ended up as a permanent fighter of peace. Had he been destined to this path? Or was this his own decision, influenced by what he had been forced into? Kira wondered what would have happened if he hadn't been involved with the infiltration of Heliopolis that one day those years ago. Most likely, he would have been killed. But if he had survived… what then? He wouldn't have discovered everything. He wouldn't have met Athrun again. Wouldn't have known Lacus. Knowing that, Kira couldn't help but believe that he was probably better off finding himself in the cockpit of the Strike those years back.

Snapping himself out from his thoughts, Kira turned the shower off and toweled himself before stepping outside, his hair dripping wet. Steam filled the room, so it took a few seconds for him to realize that Athrun had finished showering and was buttoning the blue Earth Alliance uniform. Kira had to stop as he stared at his old friend. Seeing Athrun wearing an Earth Alliance uniform was like imagining Lacus in a ZAFT uniform. It was simply… impossible.

"These are oddly comfortable. Better than ZAFT's uniform, at least," Athrun said absently, then noticing that Kira was looking at him. He frowned. "I wouldn't have worn it if given the chance," he said, almost exasperated.

Kira chuckled lightly and began to get dressed. "Feels weird wearing this again."

"Brings back memories?"

"A lot," Kira agreed.

"Sometimes, I still can't believe that you were once an Earth Alliance soldier. Fighting for the Naturals."

"Sometimes, I still can't believe that you enlisted in the military. Knowing your hate for war," Kira answered. They exchanged a glance at each other, too many unspoken words between them. Sometimes, things just had ways of happening.

Finally buttoning the old uniform, Kira straightened. "Let's go, Athrun. I'm starving."

Athrun arched an eyebrow as they exited the changing room. "You're hungry already?"

"I can't remember the last time I ate!"

"Me either, but I'm not hungry."

"I don't have an enhanced stomach."

They both paused at that, Kira immediately biting his lip. He hadn't meant it as an offence, and he highly doubt Athrun would take it as such… Yet the subject was still one they both hadn't addressed, and Kira wondered if now was the right moment to address the matter. Sometimes, it was too easy for him to be himself, his old self, whenever he was with the blue-haired Coordinator. "How are you, by the way?" Kira asked, keeping his voice light. Neither of the two missed the underlying worry that was in his tone.

Athrun shook his head. "Alright…" he answered, turning his gaze away. It was a good enough answer. He knew Athrun was trying, difficult as it was. He would just need to put faith on the other Coordinator that he would be able to manage his own problems. Athrun knew better than anyone that Kira would always be near if there were any problems. They both took comfort in that.

As they proceeded to the cafeteria, they were stopped when they bumped into Shinn and Lunamaria exiting the place. Shinn, who had been drinking a canned drink, coughed and sputtered before wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "C-Commander? Athrun? What the hell are you –"

"Earth Alliance uniforms?" Lunamaria interrupted, her eyes wide.

Kira raised both his hands, palms forward as a signal that they were not the enemy. "There weren't any change of clothes in the pilot changing room," he said apologetically. Jumpsuits were typically as dirty as their previous clothes had been anyway.

"Wow. You both look so… different," Luna said, blinking as she stared at the two. She had liked Athrun since their first meeting, and she would also deem Kira to be rather appealing with his looks – not as much as Athrun, but definitely better than some faces she had come across. The Earth Alliance uniforms didn't match them, for sure. But she couldn't help but still admire how Athrun's looks had always complimented the attire he wore. Inwardly, she cursed at herself and sneaked a glance at Shinn. It was a good thing Coordinators weren't programmed to read minds.

Athrun moved his hand to his head, annoyed. "Maybe it's better if we change uniforms first," he sighed.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 JOSH-A – <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

The check-up went well enough, at least in Genei's opinion. It had been quite a while since he last received a check-up in JOSH-A, though he suspected that he did not need it. He remembered reading over old files of the previous Extendeds, how they needed to be maintained with powerful drugs or have their memories modified and their bodies restored every time they participated in battle… Even reading it, Genei was already uneasy with how they were dealt with. He had little doubt that he would not have been chosen as the pilot of the Advocate if he had to undergo such terrible proceedings. He simply did not have the patience for it. Genei buttoned his shirt and tapped his foot, waiting for Tierra to come out. Doc had not given any hints on the results, but Genei supposed that if there were problems, he would have been told about them. The fact that he hadn't just spoke volumes, at least to him.

It took a while before Tierra finally stepped out of the check-up room, buttoning his shirt as he did so. Genei arched an eyebrow at him and he shook his head in response. Nothing he wanted to say. That was fair enough.

"Took your time in there," Genei remarked.

Tierra shrugged. "Up to the doc," he pointed out.

Sometimes, the guy was just so darn boring.

"We better get going," Tierra said, turning to leave. "I'd expect they're finishing up on the Zantetsuken now."

"Wait a moment," Genei held his arm out, edging closer to the door. The doc's voice had been low, but with his hearing, Genei couldn't help but eavesdrop… especially when he heard _his_ name being mentioned. It was probably inevitable that his name would crop up, having just gone through a check-up moments earlier… but Genei felt that he had the right to know what the doc was saying, especially when the topic was associated with him. Much to his dismay, and true to his suspicion, Tierra merely rolled his eyes before disappearing through the doors.

"…_Maybe two or three battles. The more intense, the more it'll affect them. This wasn't something that we hadn't expected. It was within the line of theories I had that this would happen… No, it's both of them. Genei's is worse… I expect he's been pushing himself. I read your reports, of course I did. He does seem to be obsessed with the Freedom…"_

Genei smirked. The doc had that right. Still, something tugged in his mind… something about the doc's tone that seemed rather off. He focused, wanting to hear more.

"_It's a sort of degeneration, a side-effect of not maintaining them as well as we did with the second-generation Extendeds. Over time, the third-gen Extendeds will lose their ability to utilize their bodies to the maximum potential… it's degenerating as we speak, but it'll proceed faster if they are involved in battle. I guess it's just as well that the war is coming to an end… They'd probably be of no use after three battles, at the very maximum."_

Now, he froze. Degeneration? He hadn't been informed about that.

"…_The Gamma Glipheptin? That is a double-edged sword… No, of course it won't kill them. It'll give them the strength needed to fight their best, but the effects afterwards will be very damaging. Repairing them would be impossible. But at this stage, it's still not impossible to fix them – no, of course not! Well, a few weeks… Yes… No, I don't believe so. They're your soldiers, Captain._"

Genei was out of the door and away from the facility in less than five minutes. Getting caught eavesdropping would probably get him in trouble, and that was the last thing he wanted. He ran, quickly, to the edge of the place and arrived at the end of the road overlooking the sea. He took three deep breaths. No more. No less. Then, the hysterics began.

The laughter exploded from inside, the feeling of satisfaction and triumph taking over his mind. He couldn't believe it. He simply couldn't believe it. He had heard what he wanted to hear. The Gamma Glipheptin. The kick he needed to destroy the Ultimate Freedom in what would be their last battle. As a soldier, he couldn't have been prouder of himself. And he knew exactly where he could get that drug.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb – Morganroete (Present Day)<strong>

It was evening, just after dusk had settled, when Kira finally went back to the hangar of Morganroete, fully dressed in his pilot suit except for the helmet which he held in his hand. In truth, he still wasn't satisfied with the tweaks done to the Freedom, but Murdoch was right – they needed to test ride it first and identify the real problems his suit was having, if any. Both Lacus and Athrun walked beside him as they entered the hangar, Athrun fully dressed in his Orb uniform save for a few additional bandages that were visible on his face and hands. Beneath the uniform, Kira could just imagine the other bandages wrapped tightly around the Coordinator. The hidden bulges were obvious enough. He knew better than to ask Athrun to rest in the dorms, however. The only way he could keep Athrun sleeping was if he injected drugs, but that idea did not appeal to him at all. Not in the least.

So he allowed Athrun to follow and he could see the alertness in the emerald-green orbs as Athrun walked with him. His old friend was determined to prove himself, and though Kira had no idea how much effort Athrun was putting in fighting his internal conflicts, he knew that it must've been difficult. A small glance to Lacus soothed his fears, however, for her azure eyes were calm and reassuring, telling him without effort that everything would be alright. He took comfort in those eyes. He always had. As they reached the Freedom, Murdoch advanced towards them, a hand raised in greeting.

"It could have waited until tomorrow, you know," he said, the amused grin plastered on his face. "I can't understand you pilots. That Shinn kid has been in the cockpit of the Destiny for hours now. I'll put him on stand-by in case if anything goes wrong."

Kira managed a nervous, almost embarrassed chuckle. "Thanks, Murdoch-san," he answered.

"Hopefully, nothing will go wrong," Athrun said, raising his eyes to rest on the Freedom. "We checked everything earlier, and if everything was done right, there should be no problems," he said, the slightest hint of worry colouring his tone.

"Don't worry, Athrun. I'm sure it'll be alright," Kira said reassuringly. "Let's try it then!"

Eager to test his Freedom again, Kira grasped the lever and climbed into the cockpit of his Gundam. As soon as he activated it, two screens flickered to life – one showing Murdoch and Athrun from below, and the other showing Cagalli from the control room of Morganroete. She had been informed earlier of their plans and had insisted that she was also present for the Freedom to take off. Kira felt the familiar momentum as the Freedom was secured to the catapult system. He was very lightly armed, with only one beam saber and one beam rifle, but Kira wasn't worried. It was more important for him to test the maneuvering system of the Freedom.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

**G.U.N.D.A.M Complex**

"_Freedom, standby. Initiating the launch sequence…"_

Activate phase-shift. Though he was by no means going into battle, it would be safe just to have the armour on. At the very last minute, Kira remembered to strap himself to the seat.

"_Be careful, Kira. Any sign of trouble, head back to the hangar,"_ Cagalli said lightly. At least she wasn't that worried about the condition of the Freedom.

"I understand," Kira answered.

"_Freedom, please launch!"_

"Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"

Bracing himself for the catapult, Kira pushed his thrusters as he was propelled from the hangar and into the darkening sky. A few beeps from the screen took his attention and Kira adjusted the system and extended the Freedom's wings, carefully taking note of the readings with each move he made. Clear. With the wings extended, the U-HiMAT system now activated, Kira proceeded in turning the Freedom, taking sharp turns at first before somersaulting in the air, looping backwards and forwards and spinning sideways. A small smile formed on his lips and he raised the power of his thrusters, focusing on getting more speed.

From the edge of the hangar, Athrun watched the sky as the blue, white and gold Freedom displayed a range of moves that was enough to tell him that there weren't any major problems with the mobile suit. He watched, almost entranced, as Kira continued to move the Freedom, almost as if it was dancing in the air. It never ceased to amaze him how such a large machine could move so elegantly. From this distance, the Freedom looked small, not the least bit threatening… not like the killing machine Athrun knew it was. It was easier, as the hours passed, for him to combat the pain he felt inside. He could feel his body getting heavy with each passing moment, knowing that the effects of the drugs were deteriorating. He didn't mind that. Athrun preferred to be normal, than to be enhanced but want to kill his friend. He still came close to it, so many times… but either Kira never noticed, or he decided not to show that he had seen what Athrun was capable of doing. It was an act that Athrun was both thankful and irritated with.

"Looks like the Freedom is alright," a voice captured his attention. Athrun glanced to his right, smiling as Cagalli walked over to him. "Kira seems to be having fun, at least."

"Ah," Athrun agreed. "Though there are still a lot of things that we need to look over. It's not fully repaired yet."

Cagalli paused before finally shaking her head with a shrug. "You'll both figure it out. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Athrun –"

"Imagine yourself walking," Athrun cut her off, his eyes focusing hard on the Freedom. Cagalli stopped and raised her eyebrows, surprised. Athrun inhaled deeply. "You're walking, and you suddenly came across a wall. How tall is the wall?"

"Athrun, what –"

"Just try it, Cagalli."

Perplexed, but curious at the same time, Cagalli paused for a brief moment. "...Around 180 centimeters," she said, arching her eyebrow.

Athrun paused for a moment, yet he kept his eyes on the Freedom. Curious, he thought, that Cagalli would use his exact height as the height of her wall. But he shrugged off the thought and continued to the second question. "How would you get past it?"

"I can climb that without any problem," Cagalli answered confidently.

A small smile. "So you climbed over the wall, and you see an island. How will you get to it?"

Cagalli hesitated. "I'll probably need a boat."

"And when you used that boat to get to the island, what is the first animal you see?"

"…A tiger."

"And after that?" Athrun asked, finally turning to face her.

Cagalli answered without hesitation. "A monkey."

Under normal circumstances, Athrun would have laughed. Yet the wonder behind her answers had stunned him. If only he knew the name of the girl… or if he would ever get the chance to meet her again. He shook his head, managing nothing more than a wry smile as he tried to process her answers. Cagalli shot him a look that told him he had better got a good explanation. Athrun smiled. "Back then… After I escaped from Phaedra's base and was making my way to the Archangel… I met a girl. And she asked me those questions."

Her face instantly changed to a look of utter confusion and surprise. Athrun didn't blame her. "Apparently, they are connected to how your life is at the moment. When you walked and saw a wall, the height of that wall is the height of your problems," he said, beginning his explanation. He noticed that Cagalli's cheeks immediately reddened. He did not need to be a mind-reader to know that he was probably the source of most of her problems currently… Despite her constant worry for Orb, Athrun also knew how much she worried about him. It made him feel guilty, so he pressed on. "How you get over that wall is how you will face the problem. In your case, you didn't use a ladder or a rope, meaning that you won't need to rely on anyone to solve the problems," Athrun continued. It rang true, even to him. "The distance of the island is how far you are from achieving your dreams… and the first animal you see is what you are."

Cagalli chortled instantly. "So I'll be a tiger? I always thought I'm suited as one," she said, obviously pleased with herself.

Athrun chuckled. "The second animal is your partner."

"So you're a monkey? That's interesting," Cagalli answered, shaking her head. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd believe in this stuff."

The blue-haired Coordinator couldn't manage anything more than a shrug. "A tiger is destined to have a monkey as a partner. In case if you're wondering, that was the first animal I saw," he said, the blush now creeping to his cheeks. Cagalli's eyes were wide. For once, she was silenced, but only for a moment. She soon opened her mouth to speak again, but never had the chance to say what she wanted to. Acting on pure impulse and need, Athrun had his arms around her in the blink of an eye, his lips pressing against hers gently.

He had distanced himself from her since his return, but as the days passed, Athrun soon realized that doing so pained him more than fighting against himself to keep her safe. The same applied to Kira… to Lacus… to the Archangel… His true calling, his role in the war, had never been something he hadn't been sure of, unlike how he was during the two previous wars. He knew, and it was as simple as that. When he pulled back, his eyes warm as they rested on her, he noticed with slight amusement that she looked surprised.

"Athrun…" Cagalli whispered, suddenly blushing when she realized that anyone could have glanced at their direction and see what had happened, no matter how short it was.

Athrun took a small step back. "Sorry," he said quietly. "I..." He wanted to say more, but they were immediately interrupted by alarms blaring around the hangar. Athrun's head snapped up at once, his eyes alert, while Cagalli immediately tensed. Turning his gaze to the sky, he noticed that the Freedom was still, facing the ocean.

"Something's wrong. Come on," Athrun said urgently, grabbing Cagalli's hand to return to the hangar. "What's going on?" he demanded to the technicians in general.

"Athrun! Cagalli!" Lacus ran towards them, her eyes shining with worry.

"I won't allow it! I won't allow it!"

"What's going on?" Athrun asked again, effectively blocking out the pink Haro from distracting him. He had had too many years of experience with Haros, more than Kira even.

Murdoch hurried to them. "There's an unidentified mobile suit heading this way."

"It's not unidentified!" Shinn called from the external speakers of his Destiny. Athrun turned to the direction of the mobile suit, realizing that the Destiny had been activated with the sound of the alarms. "It's the Imperial coming this way!"

"Can we get a visual?" Athrun turned to Cagalli.

She nodded once in response and turned to run towards the control room. Needing no invitation, Athrun followed, both sprinting quickly towards the room. In terms of the safety of Morganroete, Athrun was not worried. Kira was out there with the Freedom, and even armed with only a beam saber and a rifle, Kira was lethal. The DRAGOONs worked as well, though Athrun highly doubted that the Coordinator would need it. No, he was more worried about the Imperial itself. The pilot was one that both Kira and Athrun knew well, albeit under different names. That in itself worried Athrun on how Kira would react. He knew all-too-well how much fighting against his own comrades could hurt him. Cagalli was instructing the workers as soon as they arrived in the control room before finally turning to the main screen of the computers. The technician tapped skillfully, bringing up as close a view of the Imperial as he could manage.

Athrun's eyes widened as soon as he saw the mobile suit. Clearly, it had not been repaired since the last battle nearly five days ago. It was still missing its lower half, and the damage to the torso was obvious. Its usual flyer was gone, replaced with a red one that Athrun had never seen in battle before. And it was unarmed. Athrun reached over to the keyboard, tapping in different commands to bring up its armaments, just to make sure it wasn't his sight playing tricks on him – it wasn't. The Imperial was truly unarmed, all weapons unequipped.

But that wasn't what startled Athrun the most.

What was most bizarre about the mobile suit was that it was carrying another mobile suit as it flew towards them. And the mobile suit it was carrying was certainly one that Athrun had never seen before.

Activating the microphone, Athrun switched on the communication systems and tried to connect to it. "Imperial!" There was nothing but static.

"_Athrun… It's Hikari in there. I can't get a visual in the cockpit, but it's her… She assures that she's not here to fight. She's injured. Badly injured," _Kira's voice greeted them through the speakers.

Athrun bit his lips, exchanging a glance with Cagalli. Cagalli reached over for the microphone. "I'll alert the technicians," she said, proceeding to kill the alarms with swift commands to the deckhand below. Athrun watched as the Freedom approached the Imperial, beginning to help her with the other mobile suit. If they were to land, the Imperial would definitely need the Freedom to help.

He was running back to the hangar before he knew it, his side screaming in protest as he did so. Ignoring the pain, Athrun shouted towards the technicians to get ready for an emergency land as well as a rescue and medic team. He had enough faith in his old friend to know how to differentiate between friend or foe. The Freedom appeared only moments after his warning. Shinn was already moving, the Destiny then assisting the Freedom in steadying the new mobile suit. Together, they prised the mobile suit from the Imperial, and as Shinn attempted to steady the mobile suit, Kira lowered the Imperial to the ground. He stood, taking orders from Murdoch as he helped Shinn to position the new mobile suit properly, though with great difficulty without a pilot in its cockpit.

Athrun ran towards the Imperial as soon as it was set on the ground, already with the rescue team as they forced the cockpit open. Soldiers lined the mobile suit, guns ready in case of a fire. Opening the cockpit was done with ease, and Athrun gave a signal to the few soldiers there to remain on stand-by. He would approach first.

"Aya?" Athrun called, looking into the cockpit. Silence. Proceeding to climb inside, he halted as soon as she came to his sight, his eyes widening as he took in the damaged screens and burn marks on the walls… no. What caught his attention, truly, was the blood that was splashed around the walls of the cockpit, then at the familiar body lying in Aya's arms. "Seorin?"

The black-haired girl raised her eyes, managing a small smile. "Athrun… Zala. I knew I'd find you here," she said quietly. "My name is not Aya… It's Hikari. Seorin's name is Ken."

If he hadn't had the enhancement that came with Coordinator genes, Athrun doubted that he would have heard her. "Come on, I'll help you. But we have to get out, first. Are you hurt anywhere? I don't think –"

"It's too late. I'm too tired," Hikari said, silencing him. She reached forward, taking his hand, her eyes moving to rest on Ken's face. "He couldn't make it… He stopped breathing an hour ago." Athrun stared, numb with shock. "They killed him… the Commander. Daisuke. They killed him. That mobile suit… It's yours. He's been trying to deliver it to you, but you got away too quickly," she whispered. "ZGMF-X29A Divine Justice."

"D-Divine… Justice?"

Hikari nodded. "Apologise to Kira for me… I wanted to meet everyone properly. But I'm happy, because I did everything. It was important to do everything. Thank you... Athrun Zala..."

The hand went limp. Athrun pulled his hand back, noticing that she had pressed a data block in his palm. He barely registered how harsh his breathing was, how his hands shook as he stared at the two peaceful faces in front of him. He probably would have stayed there, if not for a voice that caught his attention from outside the cockpit, echoing around the hangar.

"_Hikari!_"

It was Kira.

Instantly, Athrun was out of the cockpit, spotting his friend jumping down half-way down the lever of the Freedom, running towards them and throwing his helmet away in the process. Athrun moved at lightning speed, jumping down and running towards his friend, colliding against him in a manner that was almost painful. He held Kira's arms firmly, shoving him back. No… That sight, he could not allow Kira to see. The bodies. The damage. The blood. So much blood. "Kira!" Athrun half-shouted at the Coordinator, angry tears threatening to course down his cheeks. Kira wasn't listening. Athrun realized his hands had a death grip on his friend, but he didn't loosen it. "Kira! It's over, Kira! They're gone," Athrun shook the other Coordinator. Slowly, Kira stopped the struggle, his eyes moving to the blood that covered Athrun's arms.

"They…"

"They're gone," Athrun said quietly. "I think the members of the _Renegade_ attacked them… They're both in there. Hikari and Ken," Athrun said softly.

"And Daisuke..?"

Athrun stared into the amethyst eyes. He could not say it aloud.

Kira's knees buckled underneath him as the news finally sank in, the harsh sobs beginning to wrack his body. Lacus was by his side in an instant and Athrun sank to his knees, gritting his teeth as his emotions tore his insides. He slammed his knuckles onto the ground, a curse escaping his lips. How many more losses would he need to take? He raised his eyes to the new mobile suit, grey and silver with its phase shift armour off. The Divine Justice.

The harsh scream escaped his lungs as he tried to imagine himself piloting the thing.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 JOSH-A – <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

Knowing that they were going to disembark for Artemis at any given time was reassuring. Genei had seen Captain Tienn earlier, had saluted in an almost mocking manner as the blonde-haired blue-eyed Captain entered the ship, Ryuu Apene with him. The Blue Cosmos leader was animated, speaking freely as if he and Sethe and long been close friends. Under the circumstances of what brought them together, Genei could see why. He kept his eyes level and unreadable as he watched, and made no effort to join them. No, he was comfortable with his own aimless wandering around the _Renegade_ ship. The conversation he had overheard previously had awoken something within him, though he couldn't pinpoint what. All he knew was that he was ready for the final battle, and he would stop at no lengths to savour every single moment. Even if it meant dying in the process. _Especially_ if it meant dying in the process.

As soon as the Captain and the head of Blue Cosmos disappeared from sight, Genei took a sharp turn with a smart turn of his heel and proceeded down the hallway, towards the mobile suit hangar of the _Renegade_. Liesel had not completely disappointed him, even if she had not managed to kill any of the trademark pilots from the Archangel. She had succeeded in damaging the Destiny to a rather considerably degree (even though it was with the help of the Zantetsuken), but more than that, the destruction of her mobile suit had left the _Renegade_ with many spare parts to play around with. Spare parts that, conveniently, were compatible with the other RENEGADE mobile suits.

Genei had been to the hangar earlier and had seen the technicians and engineers working together, calculating and modifying and calculating again as they worked to transform his Advocate. One advantage that the Premium had was that it was a base mobile suit whereby most of its special equipment came along with its different flyer packs. After much consideration, Genei had opted to change his flyer pack with the Premium's gold flyer that would give him a Voiture Lumiere propulsion system. As much as he liked the use of his missiles to distract the Freedom, he believed it would hardly be useful... especially if the Freedom equipped itself with a METEOR unit as it did during the finale of the last war. His missiles might just be harmless flies if that were the case.

No, he did not want such a thing. The Advocate was a tall mobile suit, but also lean and light for such a height. He had considered adding manoeuvrability for better performance, but finally decided against it when Tierra quietly voiced that his Zantetsuken would make use of that feature. The Zantetsuken specialised in firing cannons at great speeds – moving around with such bulky weapons were difficult, and Genei definitely wanted Tierra to be able to fight to his best potential and not get killed just because the _machine_ won't move as quickly as the Extended's reflexes could.

That would be... horrifying.

As he entered the hangar, a few technicians threw him wary looks. Genei paused, frowning. He _had_ pestered them incessantly since their arrival at JOSH-A – actually, he just did a few hours ago – but he hadn't come to the hangar this time to pester about the progress of his Advocate. He already received report beforehand that everything was going well and that it would definitely be ready for battle once they reach Artemis. No, his purpose here was to find Tierra, and he was both smug and delighted when he found that his guess had not been disappointed.

"Tierra!" Genei called out to the open cockpit of the Zantetsuken, his head raised as he watched the shadow moved from inside – Tierra shuffling to poke his head out. Half-amused, half-irritated, Genei noticed the expressions of the technicians change from wariness to relief when they realised he wasn't there for his Advocate.

Idiots.

A head with golden-brown hair like his poked out from the cockpit, staring down below with an almost _cantankerous_ look on his face. "What?"

Genei raised his forefinger, wagging it. "Come with me," he said, his tone half-inviting, half-commanding.

Tierra opened his mouth to argue, but Genei immediately silenced him with a glare. The annoyed look in the golden-brown orbs immediately changed to bewilderment before taking on a curious gaze. The change of emotions was nearly unnoticeable to an outsider, but Genei had spent too many years with Tierra to know him like the back of his own hand. Heck, they even _looked_ similar. So similar, they were often assumed as siblings... a thought Genei once entertained, but decided was not interesting enough to pursue.

With a reluctant sigh, Tierra lowered himself to the ground, arching an eyebrow as a silent gesture. Genei merely turned on his heel and walked, knowing full well that Tierra would follow. Tierra wouldn't just abandon him for his Zantetsuken, anyway.

They walked in silence until they reached their quarters, a fifteen-minute walk from the hangar of the _Renegade_ what with the elevators cramped and always occupied. Since they arrived in JOSH-A, the ship was absolutely _packed_ with people doing maintenance, repairs, or some other work to do with the ship. It was beginning to get on his nerves. Tierra observed the need for secrecy without any difficulty. It was only once they were in their quarters and the door had slid firmly shut that he allowed his face to show his annoyance again. "Now what is all this about?" he snapped.

Genei smirked and flicked something in the Extended's direction. The quick flash from enhanced reflexes nearly missed his eyes as Tierra caught the transparent container containing no more than two oval-shaped pills. "What is this?" Tierra asked.

He took his time to answer, playing on the silence to add the effect to his words. "Gamma Glipheptin," Genei said, almost as if the name itself was music to his ears.

It worked. The other Extended's face showed all the emotion Genei wanted to see. "Why?"

"I overheard something interesting," Genei said, settling on the back as if it was a couch. He turned his bright eyes to the other Extended and began to tell his story, as well as what he intended to do with the drug. The dream for the last, final battle that would be worth remembering.

It took a while before Tierra finally responded when Genei had finally finished. "You plan on taking the drug?"

"Without a doubt," Genei said, rising to his feet. He could hear his Advocate calling him now. He walked to the door, pausing mid-way when the door slid open. "It's what we're here for," he pointed out, exiting the dorm as he did so. When the door slid shut, Genei smiled. Let Tierra think. He left the other Extended, still standing, eyes still on the closed door, with the container and two pills still in his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Orb (Present Day)<strong>

Athrun felt resentment. Part of him would actually go as far as saying that he felt... _envy_. Envy at the two bodies lying in front of him, blissfully unaware of the heavy atmosphere that surrounded them. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, his arms still stained with blood that wasn't his, though felt as if he had been the cause for it being there. In a way, he had been. They died sending the new Justice to him. They _died_. And they had the luxury of not feeling everything that he was feeling now...

Yes, Athrun definitely felt envy there.

He had hurt Kira. Though the brown-haired Coordinator insisted that it was nothing, Athrun had hurt him. It wasn't deliberate... he believed it wasn't deliberate when he had clutched Kira, stopping him from looking into the cockpit of the Imperial, but... How could he have gripped so hard that it would cause _bruises_ to appear? Of course nobody told him. It was a mere observation and worried comment on Lacus's part when she saw Kira change into his uniform that informed him... then again, he had overheard something he shouldn't, so he couldn't blame either Kira or Lacus for not telling him.

Damn it, and he thought he had himself under _control_.

He inhaled again, closing his eyes. Steady, steady.

He had exiled himself into a half-conscious state ever since he had forced himself to stop Kira earlier. Things moved in a haze. He vaguely remembered walking back to the cockpit, a new sense of calmness washed over him as he gave orders and helped to ease the bodies out of the cockpits. They had been transferred, and he had given orders to take the Imperial away for now before turning to Shinn, managing a nod of thanks for the black-haired Coordinator's help. Shinn had seemed perplexed at first, but he knew how to keep silent. There were many things he did not know, and Athrun did not blame him for being confused with the situation. And he was definitely grateful that Shinn knew better than to ask, at least at that moment in time.

Lacus and Cagalli were better, most definitely. Cagalli only needed to glance at him once to know what he needed – private time – before going off to settle matters with the confused soldiers nearby. In a few seconds, with experienced commands and the atmosphere of a leader that would make Uzumi Nara Athha proud, the hangar was buzzing with work again, the soldiers knowing more than to refuse orders. Lacus, ever the gentle soul Athrun knew she was, had helped Kira up to his feet and had ushered the Coordinator away, throwing Athrun a look that he could not decipher. Unknown emotions tearing through him, Athrun had watched until they disappeared from view before realising that Cagalli had moved to his side. He had turned his bright green eyes on her wordlessly, but she merely shook her head, her golden eyes welling with tears as she stepped forward to envelope him in a hug.

He had merely ducked his head and allowed the tears to flow, unable to embrace her in return.

Now, he watched as the two bodies in front of him rested, two faces unbearably peaceful for such cruel deaths. A shaky breath escaped him and Athrun lowered his eyes again, his fingers turning the data block that he had taken the effort to clean earlier. His hands were free of blood now, thankfully, but the white sleeves of his uniform were still the repulsive colour of blood.

Why was he constantly failing?

An examination on both bodies showed that at least some medical attention had been paid... some, but not enough. Not nearly as enough as it should have been. What pained Athrun most was that they certainly had time. They had time to stop somewhere, to have their wounds properly tended to, but they _hadn't_. Instead, they both resorted to doing the minimum, all to send the Divine Justice in his hands, and then to die straight after.

Divine Justice.

Athrun felt like laughing.

Forcing the tears to the back of his eyes, he stood and allowed his emerald eyes to rest on the bodies again. He was hardly aware of the presence of the others. Kira, Lacus, Mu, Murrue and Cagalli were all there in the room, silently observing, silently waiting. Nobody said anything. Kira held Lacus firmly in his arms. From an outsider's perspective, it looked as if it was _Kira_ who was consoling _Lacus_ and not the other way around. The pink-haired songstress had tears in her eyes, tears that silently flowed down her cheeks, but Athrun knew how Kira was holding onto Lacus like a lifeline... as if releasing her would make him collapse, which it might do. He could understand that, for he felt the same way. He wanted nothing more than to hold Cagalli and sleep in her arms, all nightmares and pain washed away. But he couldn't. He simply couldn't.

Walking over to where Hikari's body lay, Athrun gazed deeply at the face of the girl who had befriended him on the _Renegade_. She had a pretty face... beautiful, he would say, but not as lovely as Lacus, nor as striking as Cagalli. But beautiful all the same. In a different world, he could see her with a family with a handsome man. _Is it worth it?_ Athrun asked her silently, his hand gripping the data block tightly. _To give me the Justice... is it worth it?_

He recalled a memory from five years ago, almost too strikingly similar to this one. He had stood at a similar place as this one, staring at what was the modified body and face of a once gentle-faced Meer Campbell who had also lost her life fighting for the war. _Too many people..._ Athrun thought, clenching the data block tightly. Too many. And he would not forget, just as how he knew Kira never forgot... Their dreams and hopes would continue to live as he continued to live as a living legacy of those who had died fighting alongside him.

"...So we just have their names, eh?" Mu's voice finally broke the heavy silence surrounding them.

Athrun was vaguely aware of Kira shifting to face the pilot. "Their parents were killed long ago... They've been in hiding ever since," he said quietly, reminding them of his previous account.

Mu exhaled loudly. Athrun could hear the frustration behind it. He felt it, too. What was the point? They were two individuals who had fought and finally died, and what did they get? Nobody remembered their names. Nobody knew who they were. And to think that there were hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands who had died and received the exact same thing: nothing. It made him bitter.

"We should hold a ceremony," Lacus's voice, as usual, held her magic as the heavy air lifted slightly. She walked over to where Athrun was standing, standing right beside him. Athrun peered into her face, noticing how the sorrow was apparent in her azure eyes, how she rested her gaze on Hikari as if the other Coordinator was a long-lost sister and not a mere individual that had died before she had the chance of talking to her. It struck a chord within him, how such a person as Lacus could exist. It gave him hope that somewhere out there, there were still people who never forget those who died during the war, whether they knew them or not.

"I agree," Kira voiced suddenly, his voice near. Athrun turned, noticing that Kira was looking straight at him. The emotions behind those eyes forced Athrun to look away.

It was settled, then. A burial ceremony would be held before launching the Archangel to space. Athrun kept his eyes on Hikari's peaceful face, trying to block out Mu and Murrue's hushed voices as they discussed what they needed to do. An announcement. An explanation. Preparations. Reports. It was hard not to listen to their conversation, hushed as they were – Athrun didn't need the further enhancement to hear. He would have been able to do so perfectly well enough with his normal Coordinator hearing, especially to listen to a hushed conversation by Naturals. The realisation sickened him. So he could hear better. Was that a good enough reason to wage a war?

Murrue broke his thoughts. "I'm going back to the Archangel. We'll schedule a burial for tomorrow morning," she said, moving to rest a hand on Kira's shoulder. They exchanged a look and Murrue smiled reassuringly before exiting the room with Mu beside her.

The door slid shut. Athrun turned to look at Hikari again.

The Divine Justice...

"Kira," Athrun turned, addressing his old childhood friend. Kira, surprised, raised his eyebrows at him. Athrun closed the distance and held out the data block he had been holding in his hand. "Hikari gave me this..."

Kira accepted it, his eyes glazed. He seemed to deliberate whether to crush it in his hands or insert it into the nearby computer to view its contents. Finally, he raised his head. "That mobile suit," he said, leaving the end to his sentence hanging.

Athrun felt three inquisitive pair of eyes on him as Kira voiced the question. "A new suit. ZGMF-X29A Divine Justice," he replied.

"...I see," Kira answered, a small smile appearing on his face. The expression nearly threw Athrun off, but it was what Kira said afterwards that truly managed to shake him; "I'm glad. Finally, we can fight side-by-side again, Athrun," he said.

It was a moment of speechlessness. He didn't know what to say.

Coming to his rescue, Cagalli stepped in. "And me. I'll take the Akatsuki out for sure," she said, certain of herself. She was going to defend Heliopolis, the last hope of Orb, and she would not do so while remaining on a battleship.

Kira nodded, almost as if he was _glad_ Cagalli was joining with the battle.

"Kira –"

"I don't want to fight against my friends any longer, Athrun," Kira cut him off. Athrun clenched his fists immediately, locking his jaw to prevent himself from retorting. "Whatever they did to you, Athrun, I know they haven't succeeded. You're still you, and I know you can fight it," Kira said quietly. Athrun wanted to snort. Trust Kira to place more faith on him than he had for himself. As Kira walked over to the nearby computer, the data block in his hand, Athrun bowed his head, defeated.

Divine Justice, is it?

* * *

><p><strong>DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0001<strong>

_Maybe Daisuke is right... maybe it is time for us to stop running away and face the war once and for all. What use is it being able to do so many things, yet not doing anything at all? The things I found out... the things Ken and Daisuke built... They're all useless if we don't put them to good use. I think Daisuke is right... it's high time we stop pretending as if we're unknowns living in a world where we just don't exist. We do exist, and that's enough of a reason for us to fight. Because this is our world..._

_The war has just ended, but Blue Cosmos has already appointed their new leader. They're already plotting, even now, even as we speak. Daisuke said the pilot of the Freedom is Kira... Kira Hibiki. I wonder if it's true. But now is the time for us to act. Daisuke said that he has the way to stop the war. I don't understand his plans, not right now, but Ken agreed to it already. Apparently, a second war is inevitable. To what lengths will they continue all this?_

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0024**

_Daisuke was right... He had been right all along. He always had been. They're beginning the second war now... And Chairman Durandal is planning. Blue Cosmos is fighting. And people are forced to act. It is painful, to watch from the sidelines and not be able to do anything. Two years, and yet we are still not strong enough. Daisuke reassures me that it will take a lot of time, but we seem to progress faster than I thought possible. I guess all those moments moving around, taking different roles, actually meant something. I was just too naive not to notice. This is Daisuke we're talking about. Of course he has hidden motives. Of course he knows what he's doing. Of course he's planned._

_I wonder if Kira Hibiki will be involved in this war. I hope he will be, if he will pilot the Freedom. The Freedom has been a symbol of hope, and since the last war, I took on it greatly to encourage myself to work hard. I have reservations that this will work. Are we chasing a fantasy? But Daisuke believes he is doing the right thing... I need to have faith. A lot of faith. Faith that things will eventually pan out as how they are planned to be. I shall leave the thinking to Daisuke. He will know what to do. In the meantime, I shall follow the orders accordingly._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0028**

_They have designed a weapon! I am not supposed to be surprised, but I am. Blue Cosmos is waging wars, but now I know they have the grounds for it. Genesis ZERO. Daisuke said that the idea behind it is complex, perhaps too complex... Maybe it won't be built in time. I hope so. This war has lasted many months too long now. But the Freedom is fighting. And I shall, too. We have been receiving a lot of resources lately. More and more are beginning to believe Daisuke. I think it has something to do with Mendel. Dr. Hibiki had been a brilliant scientist, famed and intelligent. I still cannot grasp Daisuke's plan fully. It has only been a few years, and even Daisuke himself that it was a long stretch that would only pan out according to what will happen. But he believed that he would rise. That we will all rise as a group to fight against war once and for all._

_It is an appealing thought, an idealistic one rather than a realistic one... but then again, weren't all these wars sparked from idealistic views in the first place?_

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0043**

_The Destiny Plan. A world where Coordinators would rise to the top because of their genes, and the Naturals will be rendered useless. No wonder the Naturals are angry. Daisuke said the real war will be after this. The Freedom managed to stop the war again, but it is only a stalemate. Lacus Clyne has been appointed the provisional Chairwoman, but we all know that the Naturals are still distrustful. Angry. Lacus will need to work very hard, but maybe she will be able to buy us some time. Kira Hibiki has joined ZAFT. I am very surprised, but at the same time, it's probably for the best. The Freedom lies dormant, and Daisuke is already planning far ahead of time. The world is rebuilding itself, and he said that we need to use this time to use it to our advantage. To attack before they do. To force the agreement before they have the chance to fight again. It's all there, in the underworld. The resistance groups. The split-ups from both Naturals and Coordinators._

_I think the worst that can happen is if Naturals fight against each other. And Coordinators, too. Something drives people to keep on fighting. Lacus Clyne. Kira Hibiki. And, I suppose, maybe us, too._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0072**

_RENEGADE. It has a nice touch to what we wish to do, to name something like this as 'Renegade'. What does renegade mean, anyway? It means a betrayer. A traitor. Someone turning against his or her organization or country, change allegiance. I guess in that sense, most of us are renegades. How are we fighting for humanity when we kill humans in the process? It does not make sense. I do not agree with what Daisuke has planned. But at the same time, I can see what he wishes to do. An idealist way of fighting the war, trying to stop everything once and for all. Separation between the Naturals and Coordinators. But actually, hoping for something even better than that as we fight._

_Renegade is about finding one's own desires. To know in truth what you are fighting for, and who you wish to be loyal to. Renegade is about stopping yourself from blindly following orders, stopping yourself from fighting wars against enemies that are not yours. To stand up for what is right before the world is destroyed._

_The true goal behind RENEGADE is to unite both Naturals and Coordinators. To make them realise that there is no way for separation after all. To unite them through war, after both sides faces hardship, and make them realise that there is never one side that is hurt, but that both sides are._

_Daisuke is such an idealist... But I want it to work._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0135**

_We're finally beginning it. The pieces have been laid, now all we need to do is to play. What's most intriguing, and also depressing, is that the pieces were there without us needing to put them for us. We're just creating a cause to begin the war with the pieces that was already there to start it. And Daisuke was sure that now was the best time, more than ever. I am frightened, but I will not let him down. I will never let him down, and Ken, too._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0136**

_Kira is alive... Injured, but alive. He has a gentle face... It looks like Via's face. With such a face, I wonder if he can truly fight this war for us, but he has been piloting the Freedom all this time. I look at him, and I realise that I'm looking at hope itself. And I wish for him to know that I truly apologise for what we're putting him into. It is unfair. It is cruel. To use Kira Hibiki in such a manner is unforgiveable. But we are tired of the wars, which cannot be solved by mankind alone. Maybe it takes the Ultimate Coordinator. Just maybe. Maybe it takes a Kira Hibiki for things to work. A true fighter of peace._

_He sleeps, but he will wake soon. If we are to use Kira in such a manner, I will ensure that I, too, will do my best. To fight for peace. Kira will be the one to unite humanity after the world has split in two._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0152**

_Funny, how Daisuke worded it. That we have sent the planted seeds, and can only wait for the fruit now. I have high hopes on Kira Hibiki. And I want to have high hopes on humanity as well. This will probably finally prove to us whether humanity can be saved, or whether it has been doomed from the start. If Kira is fighting, then that means that there is something worth fighting for. In truth, I cannot see where mine is. Where my reason for fighting is. I just wish to do so to allow Kira to rest, after fighting for so long. Watching him, the nightmares haunting him, the determination so evident when he wishes to fight... something tugged at my heart, and I truly wish for him to lead a happy, war-free life._

_...Perhaps that is my reason for fighting._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0200**

_The Justice is one powerful foe, that I can give. I have been looking up his profile... Athrun Zala. Childhood friend of Kira Hibiki. Another fighter for what is right. Justice... the name suits him. Though I never knew him in person, he seems to be someone who always fought for Justice. He had turned back on ZAFT... and had joined fighting against the Earth Alliance when they crossed the line. Yet, he knew when to turn and put matters right again when needed. I wonder... Will he continue fighting for our side? He had been a friend of Nicol Amalfi, the pilot of the Blitz during the first war. Nicol is Yuri Amalfi's son, whose loss had been a great blow to those who knew him._

_I am putting more faith that Athrun will continue fighting for what is right._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0298**

_Athrun is captured! This has never been part of our plans! I truly refuse to allow a Freedom fighter to be killed in cold blood aboard the Renegade. But Daisuke reassured me that he would be fine. That a new suit is being built for him already. That Athrun, like Kira, will play a part in the war. I know about Phaedra's Base. I know the experiments they are doing there, and so does Daisuke. He believes this is the best time as any to take that base down, to stop the nonsense of allowing it to proceed. But that would mean dissolving RENEGADE... It would mean unravelling the truth on whether we will continue living or not after this, and put everything on Kira's shoulders. It is time, anyhow. The war has progressed as we had thought it would... both sides wanting elimination more than separation._

_But Daisuke said that there is no reason to worry. When asked why, he said it is because we have such willing fighters who wishes to try and put things right._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED - PASSWORD REQUIRED - ENTRY 0319**

_It's over. RENEGADE is over. Daisuke told us to be ready, to be as ready as we could be to run away. He knows. Sethe Tienn... he's one of Rau Le Creuset's clones. I am frightened, very frightened... but not of death. I am frightened that we won't be able to play our roles 'till the end. Athrun has escaped. Phaedra's Base has been destroyed. But we couldn't get the Justice to him in time. He's just too good... He managed to escape without a Gundam. We underestimated him. Sometimes, it's a nice thing to know._

_I can feel the end... it's near, so near..._

**DETAILS ENCRYPTED – PASSWORD REQUIRED – ENTRY 0321**

_Kira Hibiki... I'm sorry. For putting this on your shoulders. For having faith in you._

_Athrun Zala..._

_I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..._

**ENTRY ENDS**

* * *

><p><strong>ZGMF-X29A Divine Justice (Athrun Zala)<strong>

**Unit Type: **Close-Quarters Combat Mobile Weapon**  
>Model Number:<strong> ZGMF-X29A**  
>Code Name:<strong> Divine Justice**  
>Developed From:<strong> ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice**  
>Launched:<strong> 79 C.E**  
>Manufacturer:<strong> Unknown

**General Characteristics****  
>- Overall Height:<strong> 19.34 meters**  
>- Empty Weight:<strong> 74.67 metric tons**  
>- Colour: <strong>Red, Black, Gold

**Power Plant:** Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor**  
>Accommodation:<strong> Pilot only, cockpit in torso**  
>Armour:<strong> Multi Phase-Shift Armor**  
>Armaments<br>**1 x Fatum-02 backpack/sub-flight lifter  
>- 1 x MX-906A Multi-phase Beam Cannon<br>- 1 x MX-904A Beam Assault Cannon  
>- 2 x AX-294A Beam Saber<br>- 2 x AX-327A Short Beam Sabers  
>2 x MX-395A 15mm CIWS (mounted in head)<br>4 x MX-396A 20mm CIWS (mounted in chest)  
>2 x MX-000A Railgun (stored on legs)<br>2 x AX-294A Beam Saber  
>2 x AX-243A Beam Boomerang<br>1 x "Force Stealer" Sonic Anti-Ship Sword

**Special Equipment and Features**  
>Hardpoint for docking with METEOR<br>Ultra High-Mobility Aerial Tactics (U-HiMAT) System  
>Antimatter Hyper-Propulsion Catalyst System<br>- "Wings of Hope" Power Enhancer  
>Neutron Jammer Canceller<br>Sonic-Enhanced Sword

**Optional Equipment**  
>METEOR unit<p>

* * *

><p><strong>"Wings of Hope" Power Enhancer<strong> - A small upgrade from the Antimatter Propulsion system. When activated, wing-like emitters will be released at the back where energy from the reaction will be utilised to the maximum potential, promising better manoeverability and control over the propulsion system. Depending on what the pilot wants, the size and opacity will change with the amount of energy needed.

**Sonic-Enhanced Sword** - A special feature of the Divine Justice's anti-ship sword. The sword emits sonic frequencies as it is used, making it extra sharp and more deadlier in close-quarters combat.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> That was a very fun chapter to write. Just so everyone is aware, this fic will have 25 Phases in total, plus one epilogue. So six updates to go! Thank you so much to those who responded to me for the last chapter! From all the suggestions I've received, I'm not playing around with one, but _two_ story ideas. One will be a pre-Gundam SEED fic focusing on Athrun's life in ZAFT. Seriously, I wished we could have seen more of that before Nicol died, before we met Rusty, Miguel, etc. A second story I'm contemplating has been suggested by Maderfole, focusing on the life of Dr. Hibiki, and _possibly_ the life of Seigel Clyne and Patrick Zala. They both have really intriguing pasts, especially where the official Gundam timeline is concerned, and Dr. Hibiki is such an essential character to the plot of Gundam SEED overall.

In any case, you guys are so awesome, readers and reviewers alike! Thank you to Ciel Phantomhive XiaoLang Li, Statius, IgNighted, Onymo Usan, Atlantislux and Fate Anasthasia Alitheia for the reviews, as well as to those who alert-ed and favourited. :D Next update, 4th December 2011!

* * *

><p><strong>Ciel Phantomhive XiaoLang Li<strong>:You changed your name! :D Sorry for the previous mistake! I like the idea of someone manipulating Kira because he's an Ultimate Coordinator. There's so many aspects of GS/D that we can play around with, it's awesome. Then again, this fic has a lot of Kira-manipulating as it is. I actually love the whole Kira/Shinn friendship that happened in this fic. Even if I end up writing a post-GSD fic after this, it will most likely be pre-Renegade. But we'll see. I'm currently interested in going to the past than looking at the future like I've done with this one. ;D

**Statius:** Thanks for the comment! I agree it wasn't written all that well, but I'm hoping to cover more of that in the next chapter. ;D Hopefully.

**IgNighted:** I agree, he's a character that's extremely fun to explore. I had a look at Equilibrium, and I did like what I saw. Rather than focusing on his thoughts in the future, which I've done on an extended scale with this fic, I think it might be fun to go back to his past and see what really happened. The Suit CDs tells us that he's probably the last person to join an army. It always interests me to see why he actually enlisted, and why he appeared on top.

**Onymo Usan**: Emotional fanfics are ones that I like writing the best. I'm such a sucker for drama. It'll probably be the best bet on what I'll write after Renegade. :D

**Atlantislux:** Ahaha. XD It's nice to see you commenting on different parts of the story. So many questions and thoughts, and all which will be revealed in time. I get excited when I read your reviews, mainly because you seem to be thinking a lot. I'm trying to work a lot with Shinn, I think he just doesn't get enough cameo in this story, but it's not exactly easy when he's a subordinate to Athrun and Kira. But well. He had enough of a cameo in Destiny, I thought it would be nice to focus on the "mains" one again. XD

**Fate Anasthasia Alitheia**: Many thanks for the review! :D Hope you enjoyed it!


	22. PHASE 21: Token of Water

**PHASE TWENTY-ONE: Token of Water**

**C.E 79 Orb (Present Day)**

The sound of the footsteps were _amazingly_ loud in Athrun's ears as he walked towards the hangar of Morganroete. He kept his head low, frowning at his feet as he walked. He might as well be _drifting_ with the pace he was working with, the steps barely an inch from each other as they parted to move forwards. The corridors were empty for a change, perhaps due to the ungodly hours in which he was moving. He had confined himself in his dorm, effectively keeping away from both Shinn _and_ Kira as he tried to get into terms with what had happened.

On the first day, he was left alone.

On the second day, Kira and Lacus were worried.

On the third day, he had been forced out by Cagalli and resorted to helping out wherever possible, save for the hangar… much to her dismay.

He knew what she was trying to do, of course. Cagalli was never one to tread tenderly around the abyss of the unknown – she was the type to jump head-first into it. He knew she wanted him to go into the hangar of Morganroete, to climb into the cockpit of the new Justice and familiarize himself with a mobile suit again. And he knew how much he had irritated her when he helped out with almost _anything_ except that.

Here he was, a killer machine, a Coordinator experiment who could kill his best friend and feel satisfied, and he had been given a _mobile suit_ to pilot. Not just given… Two had _died_ in the process of transferring the machine to him.

He killed even when he did not want to be killed.

Athrun stopped walking and leaned against the wall, pinching the bridge of his nose as he did so. What was _wrong_ with him? Such dark, pessimistic thoughts had never been _that_ controlling over his mind. He thought he had controlled himself as he watched the Freedom spin in the air, an arm around Cagalli as they talked and laughed. Where did that side of him disappear to?

Athrun wished he knew.

Those days when he would meet Kira and work together, laugh at each other's mistakes and jokes… Those days when he would spend time with Lacus, discussing lightly of trivial matters and maintaining her Haros even though Kira could do them as well as he could… Those days when he would lie on the bed, Cagalli resting on his chest, and feel perfectly at ease…

He wanted that part of him back. And wondered what he needed to do in order to gain it again.

Pushing himself back to his feet, Athrun focused his eyes to the door that was located a hundred metres in front of him, eyeing it determinedly. He cast his thoughts back to when he had been in Phaedra's Base. He had promised himself, at that time, at that moment of utter desperation, that he would marry Cagalli should he escape. But perhaps escaping was not enough. No, he knew it wasn't enough. Something had changed within him, perhaps something far deeper than just his desire to defeat Kira once again. Something that he couldn't afford to let go. And he certainly was not going to get it back by loitering around avoiding the hard reality in front of him. Thinking that, Athrun wanted to laugh, but his mood was as black as the Destroy Gundam. He moved his right foot, and continued to walk.

Sometimes, Athrun wondered if Kojiro Murdoch _ever_ got any sleep despite the older man's incessant rants about how the pilots weren't getting enough rest. A quick glance to the watch in the hangar told him that it was past 3AM, but there the engineer was, still ordering his workers and leafing through the papers in his hand. He seemed to have form a sort of sixth sense with the hangars he worked in as well, able to detect even the slightest of changes, for he turned as Athrun approached and raised his hand. "Didn't think you'd come," he remarked easily. Athrun nearly winced at how blunt the technician's words were. "Come over here, there are a few things I want to show you," Murdoch waved, turning to walk straight to the towering Gundam located in the far corner of the hangar.

He caught up with the engineer easily, moving in-step as until they reached the mobile suit. Almost resignedly, Athrun looked up at the grey and silver mobile suit… the Divine Justice.

"At first we were wondering how the _hell_ that mobile suit could carry the Justice all the way here. But the lack of weapons and lower-half of the body lightened the burden. What's most interesting was the flyer pack it equipped… it's compatible with your mobile suit," Murdoch began, gesturing to the flyer that was already attached to the back of the Justice, forming an X shape that looked like wings on the back. Athrun merely nodded at the comment – he wasn't surprised that the flyer was compatible with both the Justice and the Imperial. It probably would be even for the Freedom, if the Freedom could equip such a thing. The mobile suits had been developed by the same person, after all. "The flyer comes under the name of Fatum-02. The spread of the wings, I suppose you can call it, can greatly vary how many weapons you want to carry, or how much manoeuvrability you wish to have. It uses the U-HiMAT system, just like the Freedom."

Athrun raised his eyebrows. He was, in truth, impressed. The Freedom's ability in movement was due to the wings on its back – the DRAGOONs that could be stretched out and folded, giving it the high-mobility aerial movement. He hadn't expected the same to be achieved with only four wings on the Justice's back. "What about the power plant?"

"The same Hyper-Deuterion nuclear reactor. Guess they had a purpose behind bringing you on the _Renegade_ those weeks ago, huh?" Murdoch said, grinning slightly despite himself. "This machine has been installed with the same antimatter hyper-propulsion catalyst system as the Freedom's. But it has a small extra which I'd want you to try out after this," he said, sliding an eye to Athrun. Judging from the look on his face, Athrun could see that the engineer was eager to see the machine in action.

"What's the new system?" Athrun asked.

"A sort of power enhancer, by the looks of it. It seems as if there are emitters installed along with the catalyst system that pretty much controls the whole thing. The Freedom doesn't have it," he remarked, clearly interested. "We haven't been able to look that well yet, but it's worth trying to copy the system. I've sent the data to Heliopolis. Ms. Simmons would make good use of it," he said smoothly.

That was all he needed to know. Athrun thanked the elder engineer and waited for him to turn away and leave before grasping the lever of the Justice. Before allowing the lever to pull him up, he gave one long look at the machine in front of him. It nearly looked the same as the old Infinite Justice... almost identical, he would say. There were the two cannons on the shoulders... the weapons installed on the hips and legs... The headpiece, which nearly looked majestic as, still as it was, it seemed to have a perfect view of the hangar. A strange feeling niggled inside him – the feeling he always get when facing a new Gundam. It felt like... _hope_.

The door to the Justice opened easily and Athrun climbed inside, instantly at home with the smell of metal and leather that greeted him. He settled in his chair and activated the machine, almost unnerved by how he seem to already know where everything was located within _seconds_ of climbing into the cockpit.

**GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE**

**G.U.N.D.A.M Complex**

The first thing he checked was the weapons. Power output was important, but Athrun knew that he would have better judgement of that when he actually flew the mobile suit. From the list of armaments presented to him, one in particular stood out as being different from the ones he was used to – an anti-ship sword named the 'Force Stealer'. Bringing the details up, Athrun realised with surprise that it was sonic-enhanced, able to emit sonic frequencies with the blade to easily cut through anything. It was a flaw of the old Infinite Justice's that Athrun realised he had: The old Justice had no means of being able to easily take down enemy ships, unlike the Freedom. Multiple attacks would still bring ships down, but that was time-consuming... and to Athrun, who preferred close-quarters combat, it was definitely a hassle. The only way he had managed to bring the _Minerva_ down during the previous war was by dispatching his Fatum-01 flyer, sending it through the main thrusters.

His fingers moved across the keyboard, adjusting the calibrations, playing with the visuals, setting shortcuts and modifying the OS. The work was familiar... soothing, in a way. As he worked, he made a mental note to check the headpiece of the Justice later to fine-tune the external cameras.

Athrun had just been able to see the crack of the light of dawn beginning to touch the open hangar when he finally decided that he would take the Justice out. He strapped himself into the seat as he notified Chief Murdoch from the cockpit of the Justice. It seemed as if the engineer had just been _waiting_ for the green light, for in a matter of a few minutes, the Justice was already moving to the catapult system.

_"Justice, standby. Initiating the launch sequence…"_

He was mirroring what Kira had done three days ago. Merely taking the mobile suit for a ride. Only this time, he highly doubted that any long-lost friends would appear in damaged mobile suits... No, most of his comrades had lost their lives during the war.

"_Justice, please launch!"_

There was no hesitation. "Athrun Zala. Justice. Launching!"

The momentum of being thrown forward was still overwhelming, albeit familiar. The Justice turned from silver and grey to a shade of red, black and gold as Athrun activated the Phase Shift armour, bursting out into the skies that was just beginning to lighten, unlike Kira who launched when the skies were turning dark. The Justice soared, the majestic mobile suit turning smoothly, quicker and more fluidly than Athrun ever remembered. For a moment, just for a moment, he felt truly free. He pushed the speed higher, the mobile suit still moving swiftly like a robin on a spring morning. The mobility of the machine, especially for one located on Earth, was astounding. He turned, first somersaulting forwards, then moving backwards, gliding through the air until he thought of nothing else but the feeling of _freedom_ that he was experiencing.

Then, he hit the catalyst system.

Unknown to Athrun, the power enhancer activated itself along with the catalyst system, the emitters releasing what seemed to be gold and white particles on the Justice's back. The Justice _sped_, a speed he had never truly experienced before, and he took out his beam saber, practicing in the air like a master samurai warrior's performing rituals. It was an unnatural feeling.

_Thank you, Hikari... Thank you, Ken..._

When the catalyst was used up and the translucent wings behind his back disappeared, Athrun turned and returned to Morganroete's hangar, landing easily after years of experience. He could feel the adrenalin running through his fingers and shook his head, amazed more than anything else. Powering off the Justice, Athrun opened the cockpit and lowered himself, his eyes widening as he saw Kira, Lacus and Cagalli waiting for him below. When had they arrived? Haro was _bouncing_, seemingly excited more than _he_ was as it zoomed across the hangar. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Cagalli was in his arms, the golden orbs shining with happiness. "Athrun! That was amazing!" she laughed, shaking her head.

"That was some flying," Murdoch's voice joined them. Athrun turned. "How did it feel?"

He couldn't find the words to say. "It was great," Athrun managed. Murdoch merely chuckled and walked away. He would speak to the Coordinator later.

Turning his attention back to the three, Athrun couldn't help but smile. Lacus clapped her hands together. "You flew beautifully up there, Athrun! And those wings at the back of the Justice..."

"Wings?" Athrun echoed.

Kira nodded. "Murdoch-san told me about the power enhancer. I think that was it. It's controlling the energy output of the catalyst system," he said.

"It looked like the Justice had wings for a moment. Golden wings," Cagalli interrupted, shaking her head with wonder.

Athrun arched an eyebrow. Golden wings, huh? He would very much like that, for the colour reminded him of a person dear to him.

"They _were_ wings," Lacus said, her voice gentle. Athrun looked at her. "Wings of Hope."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Artemis – <strong>_**Renegade**_** (Present Day)**

At _last_, they have reached Artemis! Genei was wondering how much longer he could stand sitting around and waiting for some action. He was _dying_ to use the Gamma Glipheptin. The two pills felt as if they weighed as much as his Advocate, forever resting in his chest pocket, hidden from view. He had seen Tierra a few hours ago after the other Extended had successfully managed to keep away from him since their last conversation. All Tierra said was that he would fight until the end of the war, but to Genei, that was answer enough. Tierra would take the pills. Because Tierra knew, just like Genei knew. They were machines designed to kill. After the war, they would be disposed of, especially with the degradation of their bodies setting in. What better way _could_ they die than to die in the middle of the battlefield? The Gamma Glipheptin would kill him, and he was perfectly content with that because before taking his life, the drug will give him power first. Power he sorely needed.

Goodness knows, he was _bored_.

Still, being on Artemis was not much fun, either. The place was full with Earth Alliance soldiers, not even one of them trusting anyone on the _Renegade_ except for Captain Tienn, it seemed. Genei paid them no mind. Human politics were among the least of his interests and concerns, and he did not wish to learn anything regarding the matter either. He would focus his thoughts purely on the battle that was coming up.

The door slid open behind him and he turned, raising his eyebrows as the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Captain stepped in. And he had just been thinking of the fiend as well. It seemed as though the man had been looking for him, for he did not excuse himself for interrupting Genei's private time alone. Not that Genei was in a private place... the viewing deck of the _Renegade_ was perfectly open for anyone. Still, Genei arched an eyebrow, silently asking the question.

Sethe walked over until he was standing beside the Extended. "Artemis has been prepared. Estimated time of firing will be in 120 hours. Be ready."

He snorted. "I've _always_ been ready. Tell that to those Earth Alliance idiots who can't move fast enough," Genei snapped. _120 hours_? He could _die_ of degradation before that.

Sethe's lips twitched slightly, though Genei could not tell whether it was from amusement or annoyance. Nor did he care to know. "I see you are planning to use the Gamma Glipheptin."

Oops. "...I don't intend on going back on it," Genei said dismissively.

The other regarded him coolly, but finally nodded. "I won't stop you."

That was unexpected. "...I see."

Genei had never truly known anything about Captain Sethe Tienn, despite being on the _Renegade_ with him even before the Commander – or traitor, whatever – came aboard with Seorin, Aya and Liesel. There had only been two individuals whom he could truly tolerate to be around with for an extended amount of time, which were Liesel and Tierra. Nobody else. So he was both surprised and irritated when Sethe moved to sit by one of the seats of the viewing deck, his piercing blue eyes on Genei.

"I do not intend to escape from this battlefield with my life as well."

Genei had often tagged people as many things, but he would never have tagged _Captain Sethe Tienn_ as a _suicidal man_. "What do you mean?"

"We're both nothing but pawns and weapons of war, Genei. You may be an Extended. But me... I am a clone," he said softly. Genei felt a small chill run down his spine. The way Sethe spoke was almost as if there was _someone else_ speaking behind him. A voice that didn't belong to Sethe at all, but another different individual entirely. It was unnerving. Genei said nothing. "The Commander's real name was Daisuke Shen. A scientist in the colony of Mendel. He was, quite simply, the one responsible for cloning me after an arrogant, ambitious man named Al Da Flaga," he said quietly.

Why the heck was the Captain telling him all this? He didn't even want to know.

"As you know, clones are... We have no past, no future. No self. No identity. Merely copies of others, working for one goal. That is what we are. But what is interesting is that Daisuke is also responsible for another creation... a creation you have come to know as Kira Yamato, pilot of the Freedom."

Now he had his attention.

"Kira Yamato is the one and only Ultimate Coordinator."

The silence that hung in the air was suffocating, but Genei's mind was whirling far too quickly to understand.

Sethe smiled. "A child created without faults or anomalies usually caused by the womb of a mother – that is Kira Yamato. He is the next step of mankind, the next generation, the symbol of hope as the one who can be the bridge between Naturals and Coordinators... the Coordinator to coordinate our way to work together with the Coordinators. That is what he is. What he has been made to be. And my one true goal is truly to eliminate this specimen named Kira Yamato," Sethe said, rising to his feet. He waited, but if he had been expecting an answer from Genei, he was disappointed, for Genei provided none. The silence stood awkward between them and eventually, without another word from either of them, Sethe left.

As soon as the door slid shut behind him, Genei sat on the seat that had been occupied previously by the Captain. Thoughts were running through his mind. He was an Extended. A weapon. The most lethal, the most intelligent, the most _deadly_ weapon created by mankind before: a weapon with a conscience. On the other hand, Kira Yamato was... everything a human wanted to be. One created without flaws. The Ultimate Coordinator.

If Genei loathed the Freedom before, he did not know what words could be used to explain his feelings now.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis (Present Day)<strong>

The soldiers, a mix from Orb, Heliopolis and ZAFT, all saluted as the Archangel docked into the Morganroete hangar. Yzak Joule stood impeccably straight, bearing the mark of a true soldier as the door of the Archangel opened, revealing Cagalli, Murrue and Mu who stepped down from the large ship, followed by Athrun, Kira and Lacus. Dearka managed a small smile, while Waltfeld greeted Mu and Murrue as heartily as ever, though Yzak didn't miss the grave look in the fighter's one eye as he regarded them. He did not need to be told that Waltfeld wanted quiet time alone to discuss things, and that in itself satisfied him. It was about time they exchanged news, whether bad or good. He nodded to Athrun and Kira – both returning the gesture – and watched as Waltfeld traded news with his old comrades.

"I wish this could be a happier reunion," Waltfeld said, sighing slightly to himself.

Murrue managed a half-smile. "It can't be helped. But it still is good to see you again," she said kindly.

Waltfeld waved her off. "Same to you. I hear the Archangel was heavily damaged before coming here. How is she?"

The Captain moved her gaze to the red and white ship. "It's better. We repaired the worst in Orb, but I won't mind if we can have the ship checked over again here."

"Understood."

Yzak took the cue to step forward. "If you'll all follow me... There are a lot of things we need to discuss," he said, his voice holding a small amount of urgency. Kira and Lacus exchanged glances, but said nothing. In truth, Yzak did feel rather terrible – it had been months since he had parted with the Archangel, and he himself would have liked to have some time alone with Kira, Lacus and Athrun to catch up. He knew Dearka would also like to have some time alone with Miriallia, for sure. But in the middle of a war, with the final battle looming up like a forming typhoon, it couldn't be helped. Nobody complained as they moved towards the side of the hangar to where an elevator was located that would take them to the offices. They were all familiar enough with the limitations that war put on them, of what they couldn't do, no matter how much they wanted to.

Laniel had fallen in step with his old Commander as they walked, and the two shared light news on what had happened as they walked. Briefly, the Captain recounted the success of the tests they had performed with the Protectors of Heliopolis – Cagalli especially seemed happy and eager to learn the details, which Laniel provided with ease. A half-smile, half-grimace formed on Yzak's face as he listened to Laniel's report. It was thoughtful of the Captain to share light news with the group, considering the bombshell they were about to drop on their heads later.

Entering one of the main offices, Yzak moved straight to the front of the room with Waltfeld and Murrue while the rest seated themselves on the chairs. The place looked more like a briefing room than an office, though several tables were positioned by the walls, ready to be used. Yzak cast a swift glance around those in the room as Athrun, the last to enter, secured the door and remained there – the distance was close enough for him to join the conversation, but far enough for him to be kept away from it as well. Yzak wondered what was wrong with the blue-haired Coordinator. There were a number in the room – Yzak, Dearka, Waltfeld, Shiho and Laniel on his side, with Murrue, Mu, Kira, Lacus, Athrun and Cagalli on the other. He was especially grateful that the Shinn kid wasn't there. The guy was a great fighter, but Yzak could never get to good terms with him.

They began with Murrue, recounting everything that had happened since they had parted. The battle in Orb. The discovery of the third-generation Extendeds. The Justice taken down. Phaedra's Base. The Extended Coordinators. Miho and the Terminate. The battle. The Divine Justice. Yzak kept a neutral face – most of this he had known already, but he still listened with his full attention, determined not to miss any details. Some things might just give them a clue, or click in place, but when Murrue finally wrapped up her report, he realised that he had learned nothing new... except for the Divine Justice, which he _must_ see after this. Yzak made a mental note of that. He gave the report after that. Regarding the Ptolemaius base. Meeting his mother at ZAFT's military headquarters. He skimmed through the testing of the Protectors of Heliopolis which had been explained excellently by Laniel earlier.

Then, finally, they reached Waltfeld.

For a moment, Yzak noticed that Waltfeld looked _old_. So incredibly old. It surprised him, even though he knew that there was perfectly good reason for Waltfeld to feel as such.

"ZAFT has a new weapon. A weapon that had been developed even before Gilbert Durandal's time during the last war," Waltfeld reported, taking a remote and bringing the screen down. Dearka turned and inserted a data block into the nearby computer, navigating through the files as Waltfeld spoke. "This weapon is called GENESIS ZERO, which you are aware of for some time now. It's only now that we finally discovered what it is. Our assumptions were correct – it is still a gamma ray emitter like the previous two GENESIS," he said. Yzak could have sworn he heard Athrun curse from the end of the room. "But the weapon functions very differently to the previous GENESIS. I can say it is more on par with the Requiem," he said, frowning.

Mu let out a half-laugh. "Guess I wasn't the only one confused as to why the last GENESIS was so similar to the first one."

Waltfeld nodded. Dearka tapped on a button on the keyboard and a blueprint, with notes, appeared on the screen. "We don't have the actual image, but we believe that it is located in a fortress. A large asteroid perhaps," he said, gesturing to the image. "Firing the GENESIS requires the same procedures that it always had used before this. But what is different is this," the screen switched, showing what looked like a crystallized orb, made up of different facets. "For now, we can call this a prism. Though it's one hell of a prism."

Kira was on his feet in an instant. "A prism? Then, the GENESIS's rays –"

"Will be deflected into many different areas in one firing," Athrun said, finally moving closer to the group. His green eyes were unreadable. Yzak noted with newfound interest that they glowed in a way he had not seen before. Almost... hungry. Almost.

"No... No, that can't be true!" Cagalli cried out, shaking her head as she did so. "A weapon like that... Why the hell have they made a weapon like that?"

"Because ZAFT is not interested in keeping the Naturals alive..." Yzak answered quietly, the image of his mother coming to his mind. He shook his head, angered with the memory of the encounter.

The silence that followed seemed almost impossible to break.

.

Lacus had been unusually silent ever since they had returned from the office, discussing matters regarding what they could do and what more needed to be done. Repairs. Preparations. There were small reports thrown here and there, but it was apparent that all their minds were occupied. As Kira walked beside her, he couldn't help but throw worried glances in her direction, mostly because she looked as if she was on the verge of collapse. With the discovery of the GENESIS ZERO, the usually strong way she carried herself seemed lost. It pained him, but at the same time, he knew that now was the best time than any. Now, when people still wanted to fight, was when Lacus's voice would best appear to speak to the people again. Lacus never stopped. With each fight, with each battle, she had always been there in the Archangel's bridge, commanding the soldiers to stop fighting... only they didn't.

After months of leaving his ship behind, Kira steered Lacus into the _Aurora_, paying no heed to the question that was in her gentle azure eyes. He had contacted Meyrin weeks ago, desperate for her expertise, and she had agreed to help. Kira knew that by now, Meyrin would have accomplished what he wanted. They walked easily, Kira still knowing the routes of the second-generation Nazca-class ship like the back of his hand as he navigated the way to the _Aurora_'s bridge. As soon as the door slid open, surprised and delighted cries filled the air, though Meyrin seemed the happiest. She must've expected a visit from them later, and not so soon after their arrival.

"Lacus-sama! Commander Yamato!" she greeted happily, immediately bounding towards them with light, springy steps. "I'm so glad to see you! _Both_ of you. General Joule has been working me day and night without rest!" she complained, ever the carefree girl Kira had come to know her to be. He couldn't help but smile at that. He wouldn't be the least surprised if Yzak had worked _all_ his crew members to their limits.

Lacus, as usual, was an expert in hiding her sadness. "How are you, Meyrin?" she asked pleasantly, the smile so serene that Kira nearly believed it.

Meyrin clapped her hands together. "Alright. I've been able to do many things while we were here. We definitely had a better time here than you did down there," she added to Kira.

"Meyrin," Kira said, his voice dropping slightly. Meyrin raised her eyebrows. "Actually... I wanted to know about that thing I asked you to do. Is it ready?"

A range of emotions passed the other Coordinator's face. Surprise. Disbelief. Curiosity. Finally, _delight_. "Of course! It's ready whenever you need it!" she said happily. Kira gave her one slow nod and she straightened – the posture of a soldier who had just received orders from a superior officer. "Follow me. I'll take you there," she said, moving to head to the bridge elevator.

Lacus looked confused. "Kira..?" she managed, her eyes inquisitive. Gentle, calm azure eyes.

Kira smiled, placing an arm around her back as he led the way. "It's alright, Lacus. Trust me," he said quietly. Lacus had no response to that.

Meyrin led the way easily, and all the while, Kira kept his eyes on Lacus, watching her face closely. He knew her well enough to know that she was curious, but her face had the tendency of showing the underlying feelings she really had. Kira had often wondered how Lacus could keep on being so strong, far more than he himself was capable of. Her sadness, her fear... all could be hidden so well under the gentle face of hers which never failed to show her kind smile. Still, sometimes the flicker of emotion would still pass, but it was something Kira needed to look for, otherwise, he would never see it. Looking at her now, he saw the few moments when her guard faltered, showing her apprehension. He tightened his arm around her small shoulders, smiling reassuringly when she looked up at him.

The walk wasn't long. Clearly, Meyrin had chosen a good place that was not far enough from the _Aurora_ for her to work on. Kira felt a small pang of guilt when he realised that on top of the work Yzak had given, Meyrin couldn't have had that much rest at all these weeks. But her eyes were bright, and her face was cheerful when she took the key to the door from her pocket and opened it, revealing a small, unused office. It was vacant save for a table and a chair, a computer, and endless wires that seemed to have tangled themselves around the table, connecting to the computer. Kira couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at the messy desk... though with that amount of wires and tubes, he figured there was hardly a way to keep the place tidy. From the look of it, someone had pushed the wires aside enough to make space for a lone microphone to stand, waiting for a speaker to use it.

Lacus turned, her eyes surprised as she regarded both Kira and Meyrin. "What's going on?" she asked.

Kira exchanged a glance with Meyrin before stepping forward, gazing down at her. "I asked Meyrin to do this," he answered carefully. "It has access to all the channels... and even some private ones."

Meyrin nodded. "I managed to get into the private channels for ZAFT and the Earth Alliance... not all, but enough," she said. Kira noticed that Meyrin had a hopeful expression on her face. "I hope that Lacus-sama will sing again... for those who are killed," she said, the blush now apparent on her face as she voiced her desire. Quickly, Meyrin bowed and saluted, smiling again. "I know that whatever Lacus-sama says will touch the hearts of many," she said, excusing herself.

Once they were alone, Lacus released a small sigh. She cast her eyes back to the computer, longing to sit down and sing to the world. When had she last sang to those out there? The first war? Meer had sang for her when she found herself unable to do so. Now, the idea of singing a song frightened her. It was scary, to sit there again and be Lacus again... Lacus Clyne, and not Chairwoman Clyne. She turned her eyes back to Kira, a million questions running through her mind. Though she had not voiced any of them, Kira merely nodded, as if already knowing what she wanted to say... He might have already known, knowing him. The smile that appeared on her face was sad – even she could feel the sadness of the tug of her lips.

"Is it alright?" she asked softly.

Kira nodded.

Lacus lowered her eyes. "Thank you, Kira. With this... I can do my best, just like you," she said softly. She took his hand, allowing him to lead her to the computer, and sat down on the chair as Kira activated the system with ease. It took only a few moments to give her the signal, silently telling her that she was now live on air. She inhaled deeply.

"Everyone... This is Lacus Clyne."

.

As he shut the door of the car, Athrun looked up at the house that loomed in front of him and suddenly had the desire to turn back and drive. He couldn't truly fathom the reason his feet had taken him to this place, and wondered also if he should be here at all. _Could_ he be here? What did he want to say? Did he want to apologise? To ask for forgiveness in case if he couldn't control himself and ended up killing his friend? Athrun sighed. He shook his head. What was he _doing_ here? There couldn't be a worse place in the whole of Heliopolis for him to visit than this one! Quickly, he turned and opened the door. Just as he was about to duck inside, an all-too-familiar voice called his name and he shut his eyes, sighing. So much for running away.

Straightening again, Athrun turned to face the woman he had often regarded as his own mother. "Auntie."

Caridad was_ beaming_, the relief apparent in her eyes as she moved and hugged him. He caught snatches of her voice muffled by his uniform, saying words of gratitude as she did so. When she pulled back, she examined his face closely. "You look tired, Athrun-kun. Are you alright? And Kira..?"

"Kira is fine. So is Lacus and Cagalli," Athrun said quickly, smiling slightly. "I'm sorry I came alone, Auntie. You must be worried about Kira."

Caridad laughed. "Knowing Kira, he's probably busy right now. But I know he will be alright," she said. The confidence in her voice hurt him. He looked away. "Athrun-kun... Are you alright?" When he didn't answer immediately, Caridad linked her arm with his and led him to the garden. "Come, we shall talk," she said gently. "The children are sleeping inside."

Sometimes, Athrun truly missed the feeling of having a mother... to have his fears and worries known by a maternal figure as how his late mother and Caridad had always seemed to be able to do. As they neared the side of the house, Athrun spotted another figure sitting on the table, his unseeing eyes trained on them as they approached. He recognised Reverend Malchio instantly and greeted him as Caridad led him to sit by the table. Athrun never truly thought of speaking to the Reverend about his problems, but it was apparent that Caridad, at least, believed that the man should be present.

"Now then, Athrun-kun. Will you tell us what is bothering you?"

Athrun leaned forwards, resting his elbows on the table, his fingers laced together and pressed against the bridge of his nose. Briefly, he recounted what he had gone through since the kidnapping aboard the _Renegade_, careful to skip unnecessary details as he told his story of Phaedra's Base. He kept his eyes low, ignoring the silent intakes of breath that came to Caridad, or the wave of curiosity that came from Reverend Malchio. Once he started to talk, it was easy to lose himself in his story, the feelings let out, the insecurities explained. When he finally looked up, he realised that he couldn't truly fathom the expression on Caridad's face. She had an expression of... _sorrow_. Deep sorrow, and what Athrun thought was... love. Love in her eyes. Sorrow on her face. Was that what he was seeing?

"...You have the ability to control yourself, do you not?" Reverend Malchio asked, taking his attention.

Athrun nodded slowly. "It gets easier after a while," he said quietly.

"Are you aware that you possess the SEED?" the Reverend asked. Athrun raised his eyebrows, surprised. That was new to him. The Reverend read his silence like a book. "The SEED is a gift to Naturals and Coordinators who will surpass our stage as it is. They have the potential and the gift of evolution... of being more than what we are, and getting into the next stage of the existence of humans. I believe it is your possession of the SEED that allows you to follow your own path and not be used by what has been done to you."

"...I don't understand," Athrun said finally, shaking his head. How could he? He had fought for the wrong things so many times, had been manipulated by his emotions so easily, that he could not decipher what he was hearing now. Caridad's eyes were calm as she regarded him, but she reached forwards and held his hand, her face kind.

"**S**uperior **E**volutionary **E**lement **D**estined-factor – that is what we have come to known as the SEED factor. Both you and Kira possess the SEED. It is a process. Some who possess the SEED can only go through the primary stages and not develop what they have. Perhaps you may recall being able to fight and think more clearly when you are on the battlefield, Athrun?"

Athrun thought. It definitely wasn't foreign to him, how the image of an emerald-coloured jewel would explode at the back of his mind whenever he was on the battlefield. Sometimes, it was due to anger and pain. Sometimes, it was due to determination. Yet he had never truly attempted to understand what the thing was, apart from the fact that it definitely gave him a clearer mind. _Like how I am when I try to protect Kira…_ he thought, his eyes widening slightly. Was it possible? Athrun raised his head, his eyes on the Reverend who merely nodded, able to read his emotions even without his eyesight.

"It is highly possible that you have gone through the process of evolution completely. This can only be done with great determination, and a great desire to achieve and protect something. In your case, it is highly likely that you are forced to enter this third stage of SEED after what had happened in the facility."

"But why?" Athrun couldn't help but ask.

The Reverend shook his head, signalling his inability to answer the question. "But those who possess the SEED tend to believe that this world is still worth saving," he said, waving his hand in a gesture that suggested one to concentrate. "So perhaps that is why." Athrun raised his head slightly, straining his ears. He could just hear the radio playing in the background, a gentle but familiar voice reaching his ears. Surprise flickered on his face and he immediately took out his handheld, switching to the radio and increasing the volume. Lacus's voice greeted them and he stared at the device, stunned.

"_I have not been able to fulfill my duties as a leader these few months. I have not been able to stop the war. I have not been able to stop the fighting. But… I know it is not too late for us to change things, together."_

"Lacus," Athrun breathed, shaking his head. He was on his feet and running in seconds, running quickly, back to his car, the concern evident on his face. At the garden, Caridad turned her head to Reverend Malchio and smiled.

"_Everyone… Please, let us stop the fighting now. Naturals or Coordinators, we are all in this together. We have all fought, and we have all lost. It is painful, isn't it? To not know what is the right thing to do. To not know what is the right thing to think. To not know the truth about the world. But that is why we are alive. To learn. To accept. To fight for the life we want, a peaceful life for everyone. Do we want our children to grow up knowing that we have killed because we never understood? Our choices are what makes us human. Does fighting make us human? We make mistakes. But we also correct our mistakes. That is human._"

.

Ryuu Apene was amused. More than that, he was _delighted_. To have Lacus Clyne give her speech just before he was due to fire Artemis was priceless. Completely priceless. He knew how much people looked up to Lacus Clyne. He knew the Coordinators loved her. He wondered what _advantage_ they would get if the Coordinators decided to stop fighting just before Artemis fired. The damage would be insurmountable. Victory would be in his hands even before people could fight. He chuckled deeply, shaking his head. Lacus Clyne was a mere girl who was still in the process of growing up. The true meaning of life and pain were still things that she did not fully understand. The threat of the Coordinators. The danger on what _they, _the Naturals, might face if they continued to allow the Coordinators to dominate them…

He could not let it happen.

"_Let us stop. Let us learn. But never forget. Never forget those on the battlefield, who had died protecting those they love. Both Coordinators and Naturals wish for nothing but to be happy. But it is not impossible. Let us remember and begin a new tomorrow. Together."_

Ryuu clenched his fists, anger in his eyes now. Those in the battlefield died because they were _killed_. Killed by the Coordinators. And he wondered just how many more would face the same fate if they did not fight for their peace.

His anger was silenced briefly as a gentle tune reached his ears. Surprise flickered on his face – surprise because it had been so long since she heard the Clyne girl sing. But true enough, her voice began to float from the radio, gentle and magical as ever.

"...Mizu no naka ni yoru ga yureteru  
>Kanashii hodo shizuka ni tatazumu<br>Midorinasu kishibe  
>Utsukushii yoake wo<br>Tada matte iraretara  
>Kirei na kokoro de..."<p>

_The night is wavering in the water__  
><em>_The greening shore is so still and silent __  
><em>_That it is painful  
>If only I could wait<em>_  
><em>_For a beautiful dawn__  
><em>_With a pure heart..._

.

Miriallia didn't realise just how much she missed Dearka until she disembarked from the Archangel and saw him standing near, almost as if he had been waiting for her all along. A small blush crept to her cheeks as he turned, his face half-surprised, and raised a hand as a greeting to her. The sight of him, still clad in his black ZAFT uniform after all this time, still smiling, still _fine_, sent her head spinning. The tear escaped her eyelid almost too easily as she ran to him, throwing her arms around him as she did so.

Amazement and surprise were the two emotions that was painted on Dearka's face as he caught her, squeezing her tight. He pulled back, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Someone clearly misses me," he said lightly, grinning despite himself.

Miriallia blushed furiously. "It's not my fault I'm glad. Knowing you, I'm surprised you haven't lost an eye by now," she said just as lightly.

Dearka laughed. It felt so natural to do so with her finally beside him again. He pulled her into his arms. "I'm glad you're alright, Miriallia."

"...Me too, Dearka. I missed you," she said, her voice so quiet Dearka thought he had imagined it.

Only he knew he hadn't. Because he felt the same as she did.

Standing at a distance, Yzak watched them both, unable to make full sense of what he was seeing. It wasn't that he could not understand love – he just could not decipher, at times, how people could find it in their hearts to truly forgive others, as how Miriallia did to Dearka. Yzak hadn't been completely oblivious to what Dearka had said to Miriallia during the first war. The blonde-haired Captain had confided in him about it numerous times already in the past. So when he saw the happiness in the girl's aqua eyes, the relief when she hugged him, he could only shake his head, uncomprehending. Miriallia had stepped past the boundary of revenge and hate. Past the boundary of Coordinator and Natural. He stared at his handheld, Lacus's voice just loud enough for him to listen as she spoke. Under normal circumstances, Yzak would have labelled Lacus as an idealist through and through. But seeing something like this in front of his eyes made him question that.

"It's amazing... isn't it?"

"What makes you say that, Hahnenfuss?" Yzak asked, sliding an eye to look at his Lieutenant who had appeared by his side.

Shiho glanced at Yzak, a small smile on her lips. "Hope."

Yzak paused. When she put it like that, it wasn't as confusing and remarkable as he thought it was. "What do you fight for, Lieutenant?"

There was a small purse of the lips as Shiho considered that. Finally, she shook her head. "Maybe for hope itself. For those like the Captain who has a future to look forward to. And... for our fallen comrades."

"...Kurai umi to sora no mukou ni  
>Arasoi no nai basho ga aruno to<br>Osiete kureta no wa dare  
>Dare mo ga tadori tsukenai<br>Soretomo dareka no kokoro no naka ni..."

_Who told me that  
>There is a land without any conflicts<br>Beyond the dark seas and skies?  
>No one can reach that land,<br>Or perhaps it only exists in someone's heart_

The fallen comrades. Rusty and Miguel. Nicol. The _Voltaire_. So many comrades lost. Yzak smiled slightly, nodding to himself. Yes... he was fighting for precisely that. For those who had perished, so he could continue their legacy and ensure that they had not been fighting for nothing all this time. But something about Shiho's words gained his attention and he turned to her, arching an eyebrow.

"You said you fight for those like the Captain... who has a future to look forward to. Please explain that, Hahnenfuss."

Shiho shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "Apart from the military, I do not have anything else. And it is my duty as a soldier to protect those around me. I have important people I wish to protect," she said calmly, though her eyes were looking straight at Yzak.

Oh heck, it was the last battle, wasn't it? To die trying. "What if you are given the opportunity to have a future to look forward to?"

Shiho arched an eyebrow. "Sir?"

The redness was beginning to grow apparent on his cheeks. "What if you are presented with an opportunity for a future that you may look forward to?" he asked, rephrasing his original question. Yzak cleared his throat loudly. "I have yet to fulfil my duties that our parents have bestowed on me. And I see no reason why I shouldn't. You are, of course, able to refuse the offer should you... feel the need to."

She couldn't help the tug of the corner of her lips as she heard him speak. Yzak was looking away now, at perhaps anything but her, but it was enough. "If that is the case, I shall, of course, fight for the future that has been promised to me," she answered coolly, turning her eyes away. "I will look forward to the future... if it means remaining by your side."

For a brief moment, Yzak could appreciate Dearka's endless stories about Miriallia. "Then I will fight for it and win it... _Shiho_."

.

"...Mizu no nagare wo shizumete  
>Kureru daichi wo uruosu shirabe<br>Ima wa doko nimo nakutemo  
>Kitto jibun de te ni ireruno<br>Itsumo, itsuka, kitto..."

_A melody that can quench the thirst  
>Of the land that calms the waters' flow<br>Even if it does not exist anywhere right now,  
>I will come to possess it<br>Always, someday, for sure_

It was tempting for him to listen. To let go and forget. Only he had strayed too far, had gone too deep. Despite her kind words, her offer of forgiveness, Yuri Amalfi highly doubted that he would be able to receive the gentle offer of peace. To listen to her sing reminded him of Nicol. And every reminder of his son sent the usual electric pain down his chest, leaving a tingling feeling that often made him breathless. The pain was too deep, the damage too severe. Damage to himself as much as the damage done to the world. In a way, he was glad that his wife had left him.

Amalfi glanced at the photo of Romina and Nicol standing by the side of his desk. Listening to Lacus's gentle voice, the tears flowed down his cheeks without invitation. Before he knew it, he was sobbing, his shoulders shaking as his hand moved to the frame, though he couldn't touch it. He did not dare touch the picture of his wife and his son. What had he done? Since when had the memory of his son become a pain and burden to him? Nicol had been his greatest pride. Romina had been his greatest love. And now the memory of both brought him nothing but sadness and hate. Hate that he truly wished to unleash to the world, just to satisfy his pain. Only the pain never went away. Not really. It was never truly enough. A neverending, sad cycle.

A peaceful world. How he wished he would be able to see one. Yet he knew he would not be able to do so. But he could not turn away. Turning away meant that he would be betraying what he thought he knew about his son. After losing so much, Amalfi could not lose that. Anything but that. He had to cling to that knowledge, that belief that his son would be behind him were he alive now, cheering him on.

But a familiar image of a Coordinator with blue hair and green eyes would always come to him, deny him in his mind, and he truly did not know any longer.

.

Slightly breathless, Athrun reached the abandoned office, only to see the door ajar with Cagalli standing just outside it, silent tears running down her cheeks. But she was smiling. She raised a hand to wipe her tears, shaking her head as she did so. Athrun exhaled slowly and walked, his eyes trained on her. She noticed his presence at once and turned, raising her eyebrows – her mouth parted to say his name but never got the opportunity to do so as Athrun enveloped her in his arms, pressing his face against her shoulder. "Cagalli," he said softly, tightening his hold. "I'm back."

There was a small movement as Cagalli laughed, though the laugh was forced, a mixture of a sob and a chuckle. "Idiot. Of course you're back. Welcome home," she said, hugging him tight.

"I won't run away... Not any longer, not after this," Athrun said, forcing the words out from his mouth.

Cagalli pulled back. "Athrun..?"

"Please stay by my side, Cagalli," Athrun said quietly, moving his hand to rest against her cheek. "After this war... and as long as we both shall live... I want you to be with me, right by my side."

"Of course I'll be here," Cagalli answered, her voice cheerful even though the tears ran faster down her cheeks. "Idiot. Do you know any other lion around here?" she asked, her voice muffled as he pulled her into his arms again.

"...Mizu no akashi wo kono te ni  
>Subete no honoo wo nomikonde nao<br>Hiroku yasashiku nagareru  
>Sono shizukesa ni tadoritsuku no<br>Itsumo, itsuka, kitto..."

_Let the token of water be in my hands  
>Even after engulfing all the flames,<br>It still continues to flow, gently and broadly  
>I will reach its tranquility<br>Always, someday, for sure_

Lacus looked up, her tear-filled eyes on Kira as she reached the end of his song. He had a hand on her shoulder, the other clasping hers in a gentle hold, and he nodded at her with a soft smile on his lips. His eyes, too, were wet, never seeming to be dry and happy whenever he was forced into the cockpit of a Gundam. It pained her. But it would pain her even more if he had been the silent self he had lapsed into before the second war. No, she was grateful for Kira to be by her side. To support her, to be strong, to be himself... Kira Yamato, fighter of peace.

"...Anata no te wo tori..."

_With your hand in mine..._

"FIRE!"

Ryuu watched, triumphant, as the gamma weapon released its translucent beam, travelling fast, very fast, striking Aprillius of PLANTs exactly on target.

A tear escaped from gentle azure eyes, dropping onto the lap of the pink-haired songstress.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> 'Mizu no Akashi' is a song that I truly wished had had more of a cameo in the Gundam SEED/Destiny series. Out of all of Lacus's songs, I think it's the best and thus decided it should be the theme song for this fic. My thanks go to Ciel Phantomhive XiaoLang Li, IgNighted and blackphoenix4ever for your reviews. Thanks also for the favourites, alerts and also for reading! I know this chapter is early – it's one that I truly wanted to write for a long time now. It's a little shorter than the previous ones, but I couldn't write more without it seeming a little awkward. In any case, next chapter scheduled to be uploaded by 11th December!

* * *

><p><strong>Ciel Phantomhive XiaoLang Li:<strong> I agree that peace is very hard to get. Even in the real world, it's hard to get peace, which is why it's so sad when there are fighters like Kira and Athrun who just never give up. It's admirable, and when I write this fic, I really wish we can all hope and strive to become like them. I'm glad you like the story ideas! I've been playing around with the ideas a lot recently, so we shall see!

**IgNighted:** I'd have loved to read a Gundam fic from you, seriously! You've had some pretty awesome insights with the reviews you've dropped all this time, and it'd be nice if you'll write one sometime in the future. I'm glad you have faith on the end of this fic. I shall do my best not to disappoint!

**blackphoenix4ever:** Renegade is the longest story I've _ever _written. Yet I agree and wish that it will just never end. The experience writing it and reading all your views has been amazing. In any case, I thank you so much for your review! It definitely gave me a heck of a boost, and I'm glad you dropped a word. ;D Hope you enjoyed this one and that you'll keep on reading until the end!


	23. PHASE 22: The Final Battle

**PHASE TWENTY-TWO: The Final Battle**

**C.E 79 PLANTs – ZAFT Military Headquarters (Present Day)**

He had given them only one fleeting, brief moment of compassion in his thoughts. Only one. Just that one brief thought as Lacus Clyne had sang her song of peace, he had allowed himself to be immersed with the gentle tune and, for that one small moment, but it was one moment too long. It was one compassionate thought too much. Yuri Amalfi could barely stop his hands from shaking, fists clenched together to control himself, as he looked at the devastation that had once been Aprillius. More specifically, it was Aprillius One to Six – _half_ of the colony wiped out in the blink of an eye with the fire of what was an extraordinarily, painfully familiar weapon. If there were any thoughts of compassion, there were none now. How could he have wanted to stop fighting, to follow Lacus Clyne and stop all this madness, when such injustice had always been inflicted on Coordinators?

_Aprillius_ was hit.

The Council... Those people who had fought...

Those _lives_, wiped away in the blink of an _eye_.

He had to give it to the Naturals – when they wanted a fight, they could choose the exact best time to inflict the pain. But it wasn't as if he himself hadn't been thinking of firing the GENESIS ZERO in a few days. The order had been given, after all. If the Naturals hadn't fired, there was that very high chance they, the Coordinators, would have done so with GENESIS ZERO. Amalfi shook his head, a dry laugh escaping his lips. How could he have _possibly_ allowed that small moment of doubt? How could he have allowed himself to? He was here for a reason. Those in the _battlefield_ were there because talks of peace had not succeeded. If there was _anyone_ who had learned that lesson, it was him, Yuri Amalfi. And if there was anyone who _needed_ to learn that lesson, it was Lacus Clyne.

His stupidity amazed him to the point where he thought he was going to lose his mind. Gone was his Council. Gone was the backbone of PLANTs. But he was alive, and he had the authority. Until his death, he would exercise that authority for the safety of the Coordinators.

After the initial shock was over, Amalfi moved over to the intercom by his desk, pressing it. The plan was already in his mind. Preparations to fire the GENESIS ZERO had started forty-eight hours ago. They would need more time, but it would be a worthwhile wait. He would make sure of that.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – Lagrange Area 3 (Present Day)<strong>

The shot had come from near them. It had come so amazingly close to them that for a moment, for one very brief moment, Yzak thought that it had been _Heliopolis_ that had fired the gamma attack onto Aprillius. But of course, that was simply impossible. He hadn't stationed himself in Heliopolis all these months to not know if they had been hiding a mass-destruction weapon without his knowledge. He would throw away his uniform if that were the case. The fact that the attack had come from somewhere _near_ Heliopolis, however, was disturbing. Perhaps a two day's travel on a ship, but still far too close to his liking. He had been in the hangar of Morganroete when his name had been called, the song Lacus was singing abruptly cut off as the attack landed on Aprillius.

...And to think there was a very high chance that his mother, being a council member, was in the colony...

Yzak shook his head, refusing to allow the thought to pass through his mind. No. He could not afford to play with 'What if's' right now. At the moment of impact, when his name had been summoned, he had exchanged a glance with Dearka, the silent communication that passed between them only lasting a second before they sprinted towards the _Aurora_. Miriallia had followed, her knowledge with the CIC kicking in as they made their way to the ship's bridge. The place had been chaotic, several crew members crying over their loss or from the shock of seeing several colonies taken down in the blink of an eye, too similar to what had happened during the previous war. The CIC workstation was empty – Meyrin was nowhere in sight. Momentarily, Yzak had remembered seeing her escorting Kira to the side of the hangar with Lacus almost an hour ago and he cursed. There were no room for questions, even as Miriallia instinctively positioned herself at the workstation, her fingers tapping the keyboard easily.

Now, twenty minutes later, she was still there, throwing one report after another on what had happened, but it was clear that they would need to wait just a little longer to get the details from the PLANTs.

"It seemed to have come from the abandoned colony of Artemis. It's been camouflaged as an asteroid, and it's closer to PLANTs now," Miriallia said quietly. "We can locate its precise position in three hours. ZAFT is preparing for a full-scale attack against the Earth Alliance."

"That's nothing new," Yzak muttered, pacing back and forth. "Estimated time?"

"48 hours before they launch."

"Roughly 150 hours before the battle," Yzak concluded. He exhaled loudly, running a hand through his finely combed hair, a million thoughts running through his mind. Yet, frustrated as he was, this was one thing he – _they_ – had been waiting for. One thing they had anticipated for so long. And it was finally happening. Yzak turned, exchanging a look with Dearka. "We'll need to prepare ourselves."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Heliopolis – <strong>_**Archangel**_** (Present Day)**

"Set the course to Artemis. Increase thrust output by twenty percent until you reach maximum. Archangel, launching!"

Kira tightened his hand around Lacus's as the ship began to move, exiting the hangar of Heliopolis. He exchanged glances with her, noting the red-rimmed eyes that were the only evidence that she had been crying following the declaration of war from the Earth Alliance to PLANTs... To the Coordinators. There were no words of comfort that he could give her, nothing he could say that might possibly calm her emotions. They had faced this exact same position one too many times already, and Kira knew that Lacus, like himself, was tired of fighting. She turned her head, a much delayed reaction, to smile tentatively at him.

And once again, Kira was lost for words.

"Kira-kun, you're needed in the starboard hangar," Murrue said suddenly, breaking the moment. Kira turned to glance at Murrue and nodded once before moving his gaze back to Lacus. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as she shook her head, smiling peacefully as ever.

"Go, Kira. I'll see you soon," she said quietly.

So he left, making his way back to the hangar of the Archangel – a place that was as familiar to him as anything could ever be. In fact, the hangar, and the Archangel itself, were more familiar to him than his home had ever been... wherever his home was. It was a word that Kira hardly dared to toy around with, knowing the significant meeting of permanency associated with it. He felt at home as long as Lacus was near, but there wasn't any one location in the world he could truly call his.

Kira weaved through the silver corridors towards the hangar, looking around in search of any familiar faces though expecting none. Everyone, since the Archangel had landed in Heliopolis, had worked with very little amount of sleep and almost littler to eat. Kira was tired, but not completely exhausted as he knew many Archangel crew members were. They had worked day and night with Morganroete to restore the ship, to repair mobile suits and enhance them where possible. A surprisingly large number of civilians had also turned up in Morganroete following the attack on Aprillius, volunteering to help where possible. Their offer had not been misused in the least, for they, like everyone else, were well tired beyond belief. They had long been.

Arriving at the hangar of the Archangel, Kira spotted Mu immediately, talking quietly with several technicians while waving his hand to a silver mobile suit behind him. A short glance told Kira that it was the old Imperial, Hikari's mobile suit, now standing there and hopefully ready to launch. His gaze travelled across the hangar. The Justice and Akatsuki weren't there, both transferred to _Kusanagi_ while the Gaia had been transferred to the Eternal. Three Enigmas were stored with the _Aurora_, belonging to Yzak, Dearka and Shiho. The only mobile suits that remained with his Freedom was the Destiny, Lunamaria's Enigma and the Imperial. Kira felt a small pang in his chest, knowing that Athrun and his sister weren't in the Archangel – he would fight alongside them in battle, but he had hoped that he was able to speak to them before they needed to launch.

"Kira!" Chief Murdoch called him. Kira turned, nodding and moving to close the distance immediately. "Look at you. You're dead on your feet," he scowled.

Kira smiled. "I'm fine. How is it? Better now?"

"Ah, we tweaked it a little more, so if you can go and check the compatibility with the Freedom, that would be great. Last time, we're still on 85 percent. I want it on 90 at the least to feel as if you can use it," Murdoch said, frowning. He was worrying more than he should, but that never went wrong in his book.

"Thanks, Murdoch-san," Kira smiled, climbing into the cockpit of the Freedom. Installing the 'Wings of Hope' power enhancer on the Freedom had been Athrun's idea, and the Chief definitely seemed more than happy to try. Kira scanned the system, wondering what his best friend would be doing in the _Kusanagi_ now. He wasn't surprised to find that the Freedom, as reported by the Chief, seemed well compatible with the power enhancer they had managed to build in the little time they had. If there was one thing Kira knew about the Chief, it was that the elder man never disappoints. The Freedom and Justice would be the first to launch when the battle begins – they would be launching simultaneously and the Eternal would also release both METEOR units at the same time so they could equip instantly. With that, they would clear a passage for the other mobile suits to pass – the ZAFT forces that had remained loyal to Lacus, the remaining Orb forces, the soldiers who had decided to join them after the battle on Earth, the forces they had received from Factory... These would be led by the top pilots, namely Kira, Athrun, Yzak, Dearka, Shiho, Shinn, Lunamaria, Cagalli and Mu. It was a much larger force than Kira had fought with during the previous two wars, but he knew the sacrifice that would come with their decision.

He just hoped that they wouldn't be too late by the time they arrived in the battlefield. If Yzak had calculated correctly, they'd probably arrive at the same time as the ZAFT forces.

"_Kira..."_

Kira blinked his eyes open and started, knocking his head against the side of the cockpit. He hissed slightly, his hand moving to the side of his head, but his eyes were still staring directly at the figure in front of him. She was as he had always remembered her, dressed in Earth Alliance's uniform. Long red hair down to her shoulders, and piercing silver eyes. A face that had once saved him.

"Fllay?" Kira breathed. It had been _years_ since he had seen her... since he had been able to speak to her. She had even stopped appearing in his dreams since five years ago. "Where have you been?"

Fllay laughed lightly, her face serene and happy... as how Kira had known her to be back in Heliopolis, not the stranger he could never recognise on the Archangel. "_I've always been near, Kira. Always. Please be careful when you go out there. I'll protect you with all I have, but you must live."_

He shook his head. Fllay, protect him? He never deserved such kindness, not when _he_ had been unable to protect her. She was the one who needed protecting. And he had promised her too many times, and failed every single time. "I'm sorry," Kira whispered, for the thousandth time in his life. "There's a lot I cannot do."

There was a shake of the head, followed by a light laugh that trilled around the small area between them. "_Silly Kira. You can do many things. Do your best, Kira. And remember that there is someone out there who you need to protect. Someone who loves you. I'll always be here."_

"All hands, level one battle status! Pilots, please move to your mobile suits. Battle stations, ready!"

Kira jolted awake, knocking his head again. He cursed, climbing out from his cockpit and moving down to the floor of the hangar. Everyone was moving quickly, but they were not panicking. It was the usual rush of energy before a large battle, the usual buzz as people moved to clear the mobile suits and mobile armours as fast as possible. Kira spotted the one man he had been looking for easily. "Murdoch-san!"

The technician stopped, turning with a smile at him. "Well, kiddo, the time is finally here. Hope you've enjoyed your nap. I was worried you'd start doing work again if I woke you up." Kira grimaced. What kind of pilot was he to fall asleep before battle? The Chief seemed to read his thoughts. "Don't worry about it. You've done enough, and there was nothing for you to do anyway. Napping or not, you seemed to be doing _something_ in that cockpit. The Freedom has been fully optimized. I won't even question how you did it."

_Fllay..._ Kira thought, a smile coming to his lips. "Where are we?"

"Approaching the battlefield. ZAFT got there a good hour before us, so the fighting has begun already. The Captain wants the suits to launch in twenty minutes. You better get into your pilot suit."

"Understood," Kira nodded, picking the pace as he ran towards the pilot changing room. What had happened? One moment he had been working on the Freedom, and the next... they had arrived. He was sure his encounter with Fllay had been no more than a few minutes. Not nearly long enough to move from Heliopolis to Artemis, but here they were. And his Freedom... had somehow been optimized as how Murdoch wanted it to be. Did Fllay have something to do with all that? Or had he been in a long trance, just working with his consciousness turned off until they had finally arrived? He supposed he would never know.

Lunamaria and Shinn were already exiting the pilot changing room when Kira arrived. He stopped, regarding them both. Shinn managed a small smile. "I'll be sure to beat more of those out there than you will," he said good-humouredly, giving a thumb's up.

Kira couldn't help but smile. "Be careful out there."

Shinn snorted. "I think _you're_ the one who needs that advice."

"Well, _I'm_ going to beat Athrun's numbers," Lunamaria said smugly, nudging Shinn in the ribs.

The black-haired blinked, distracted. "There's no way you can do that! I bet I'll beat them both to it!"

They moved away, and Kira watched with a shake of his head, amused more than anything else. To think that during the last war, they had been fighting against each other... and had finally come to being close comrades. It was a thought that he took a great deal of comfort from. He moved to his locker, dressing into the lightweight pilot suit in quick, habitual movements. It took only a few short minutes for him to secure the suit, snapping the collar in place. He raised his head, looking at himself in the mirror, only to realise that there was another person reflected behind him. She looked torn, long pink hair secured in a ponytail and dressed in white and purple. Kira turned, spreading his arms and finding her inside his embrace instantaneously.

Grateful, he pulled her close. "Lacus. Thank you," he said softly, kissing her lightly on the forehead. He had been worried he was out of time to search for her.

"Be careful, Kira," she said quietly – admittedly the only thing she _could_ say every time he was to go out into the battlefield.

"I will. You as well, Lacus," Kira answered.

"I will speak to everyone again," Lacus said.

Kira raised his eyebrows. Truthfully, he would have preferred for her to keep away from the battlefield this time. One of the reasons why he wanted her on the Archangel was because he was worried the enemy would assume that the Eternal was the flagship as they had during the last war. He did not want to announce to the world that the leader of peace was on board the Archangel, providing such an easy target for those who Kira knew despised her. Perhaps not Lacus herself, but at least the threat she seemed to be carrying in trying to stop the battle. But if this was what she wanted to do, then he held no right in stopping her. Not when she was faithfully allowing him to enter the battlefield against her heart's wishes.

He needed to give her strength. And he needed to give himself strength. So he did the one thing that, for too many years, had been long overdue.

"Lacus..." Kira said, taking her hands in his. She tilted her head, her eyes quizzical. "After all this is over... I would like you to... stay with me. I always want you to stay with me. Maybe we can have a house that belongs to us again... and a life that belongs to us truly..." he trailed off, his cheeks red. Lacus looked surprised. "If that's what you want, of course. I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to... I'm okay now, but if you want, then..." he trailed off, biting his lips. Her expression was unreadable now. "Marry me, Lacus. After all this is over."

Perhaps it only appeared so to him, but he believed she took far too long to respond. Her eyes were shining, tears of happiness cascading down her cheeks as she hugged him. "I will, Kira. I definitely will," she answered.

The relief he felt made him believe that the war was over. Kira pulled away, pressing his lips over hers. "I love you."

"And I love you. Come back to me, Kira."

He smiled, resting a hand on her soft cheek. "I will. You know I will. I have to go now, Lacus."

She squeezed his hand. "Yes, Kira. Go, now."

Kira managed one last smile, one last tug of the corners of his mouth for her, as he turned and ran out of the pilot changing room. He couldn't help but feel joy and hope in his heart and wondered if that in any way would make him fight any better than he normally would.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Artemis - Omnicide (Present Day) (Miho)<strong>

Cocking his head to his side, Miho looked curiously at the radar built inside his Omnicide. He could easily read the names of the ships located there and detect what was out of the ship he was still docked in. The _Renegade_ had been one of the first that he had managed to detect, but he was never interested in that ship. No, the interest came to the new ships that were now popping up on his radar. The Archangel and its little followers. The way the ships, mobile suits and mobile armours were plotted around his radar was like a map of the constellation of stars... only they were moving dots, not stationary. It amused him to see the little dots, to see several suddenly vanish, several suddenly appearing... Whatever was going on outside, it was a heck of a battle and he was already feeling rather giddy.

The screen in front of him suddenly flickered and he raised his head, eyes questioning as he looked at the CIC. Rita was behind him. _"Miho,"_ Rita said, her eyes worried. He raised his eyebrows. "_The Archangel are coming in and they are fast. Very fast. It looks as if they're going right into it, straight to Artemis. While that makes our job easier, we can't allow them to kill our forces. There's movement – they're deploying their mobile suits._"

"So I can finally launch now?" Miho asked, annoyed. What use were little details to him? What the Archangel wanted to do was none of his business. He wanted the _Freedom_. And he wanted that cowardly blue-haired.

"_...Yes, you can launch now,_" Rita sighed. "_Engage the Freedom."_

"As if I need telling," Miho snorted, cutting off the communication. He activated the Trans-Phase Shift as the mobile suit was transported to the catapult system.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Artemis – <strong>_**Advocate **_**(Present Day) (Genei Alens)**

The hysterical laugh was all that was audible inside the cockpit of the Advocate as it slashed through the ZAFT mobile suits with complete ease in the vacuum of space. The explosions were beautiful, the sounds of screams from the intercom delightful, but apart from that, space was as it had always been – infinite in silence. Though he couldn't stop laughing, and he had long ago tuned out the orders and reprimands from the _Renegade_. He felt... _alive_. The pills were in his mouth and down his throat as soon as the Advocate was launched, and it soon became a bloodbath consisting of the shriek of metal and flashes of beams. He was having _fun_. He was having fun for the first time in many months, maybe in his whole existence. He was losing control over his consciousness. All that was taking over were his reflexes and survival instincts. For once, it delighted him on how animalistic he could be.

The dark green and gold Advocate boosted its thrusters, releasing its DRAGOONs to an unsuspecting Nazca-class ship. The enemy mobile suits were on his tail at once – he was fighting reckless, and he knew it, but it did not matter to him. He was just killing time. Activating the Voiture Lumiere propulsion system, the Advocate was out of sight in milliseconds. He laughed again, shaking his head at the adrenalin rush he was feeling as the Advocate equipped its beam sabers, moving like a whirlwind of flashing white and green as it impaled one mobile suit after another. The pilots never saw it coming, not with such massive numbers against one lone mobile suit.

The alert that came from his radar was the only thing that managed to distract him from his killing, just for a second.

"Finally," Genei sneered. "The _Freedom._"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Artemis – Divine Justice (Present Day) (Athrun Zala)<strong>

"_The Archangel is going to move directly to Artemis. Right now, it's heavily guarded by the Earth Alliance forces, and we need to get past ZAFT first as well. Justice, please clear a path as well as you can for them to pass. You'll be working with the Freedom."_

"Understood," Athrun said, activating his armour as he was transported to the catapult.

The plan was simple, but he knew that executing it would be more of a challenge. The plan, as how they wanted it to appear, was to have the Archangel heading straight to Artemis, effectively destroying it. That would leave disabling the forces from the Earth Alliance and ZAFT to stop the battle. That was the plan on the surface. What Kira and Meyrin seemed to believe was that the GENESIS ZERO would also be trying to fire at any moment, just as how Artemis was ready to fire towards PLANTs. It was most likely that GENESIS ZERO was already among them, currently hidden behind a protective layer of colloids... at least that was what Waltfeld seemed to believe. If their plan worked right, they would be able to detect GENESIS ZERO once they were closer to Artemis. Having the Archangel heading there was actually bait for ZAFT to fire... to eliminate the Archangel and Artemis with a single fire of their weapon, especially when the Freedom and Justice would be there protecting it. In such a case, the barrier surrounding the weapon would need to be put down, and the small gap between discovering the location of the GENESIS and having it fire would be Athrun and Kira's only chance in destroying it... before it destroys everything else.

It was the one single way they had in bringing the weapon down. Time was not on their side to know where the weapon was located even though Athrun knew their detectors were working hard in trying to pinpoint the coordinates, even as he moved.

"_Justice, please launch!"_

He closed his eyes, praying with all his might that this would be the end. If the GENESIS fires, it would be over. With a weapon that could fire in multiple locations, it was likely that Artemis wouldn't be its only target. Heliopolis, the next closest target, would be next, followed by Earth. PLANTs had already suffered damaging blows with Aprillius One gone. If Artemis fired again, it was possible that even PLANTs would not be able to support itself in repairs. The war seemed to have gone down to just eliminating what was possible.

"Athrun Zala. Justice. Launching!"

Athrun cleared his thoughts, pushing the power of his thrusters to the maximum as he was catapulted out of the Kusanagi. His radar detected the Freedom to his far left instantly, followed by the telltale alert that his METEOR unit had also been released. Athrun slowed the Justice, allowing the mobile suit to fall into place in connecting to the METEOR. The Freedom seemed to move in sync with him as the Eternal slowed, allowing the Archangel and Kusanagi to bypass it. There was the familiar momentum as METEOR clicked in place and immediately, Athrun activated the new system, turning on the multi-lock weapons system. Kira suddenly appeared on the screen in front of him. "_Athrun!_" METEOR was already locked onto the Freedom.

"Ah. Let's go, Kira!"

Blue and red flashed by as both mobile suits boosted their thrusters, speeding ahead. Their radars picked out the enemy mobile suits coming towards them instantly, and Athrun wasted no time in adjusting the angle of fire, knowing full well to disarm and not to destroy. A pull of the trigger was all it took as flashing beams of red, white and blue shot out, followed by supporting beams from the Archangel, Kusanagi and Aurora behind them. Explosions filled the black sky, and all hell broke loose.

Along with the usual blue and white Windams, Athrun was half-surprised to see that the battlefield surrounding them was littered with N Dagger N mobile suits. The dark green and black mobile suits were sturdy mobile suits that had been produced in limited numbers during the previous war due to the mirage colloid capabilities and were officially disbanded though still unofficially produced. It was unknown just how many were produced under the Atlantic Federation, but now, Athrun supposed there was no reason for the production to remain secret. He had heard the reports, of course – how the approaching ZAFT battleships had been firstly ambushed by these N Dagger Ns, but Athrun never knew the numbers would be so large. They fought with white Enigmas and multicoloured GOUFs – Daggers and ZAKUs seemed almost nonexistent now. The enemy was finally showing its true fighting potential, unleashing weapons that had been so brilliantly hidden before this. There were also a large number of black and white Strike E mobile suits... ones that looked achingly familiar. Yzak hadn't been kidding about that, at least. Their numbers were swarming around them instantly and Athrun had to bite down on his tongue to stop himself from cursing as he manoeuvred away, cutting off limb after limb before shooting the headpieces, rendering one mobile suit after another completely useless.

For a moment, he was overwhelmed. Large numbers, floating pieces of debris, flashes of explosions and beams being fired in a battlefield that does not have limit in area confused him. They had launched into the middle of the battle far too irresponsibly, though it provided them with the advantage of shock and confusion they had been aiming for. In the midst of the fighting, the green-coloured jewel exploded in the back of his mind as they inched closer and closer to Artemis. In the background, he could just hear Lacus's command to stop the fighting, echoing in his cockpit again and again as she warned everyone that they were there to destroy Artemis. That they did not need such a large weapon of destruction in today's world. It was chaos everywhere.

In the midst of his confusion, Athrun only managed to catch small glimpses of his comrades. He saw Cagalli protecting the Kusanagi, engaging two Strike E's and a GOUF. He saw the Destiny and Lunamaria's Enigma fighting far ahead along with the Duel and the Buster, clearing the path where he and Kira could not. He saw Shiho's Enigma trying to take down a Nazca-class ship, and he saw Mu's new Imperial taking down weapons from other ships. Athrun fired and fired again, multiple beams shooting out and allowing a brief lull in the fighting as his comrades took advantage in disabling the stunned mobile suits. Kira, Athrun saw, kept his focus more on incoming ships, using his quick skills in long-range fighting to render them unfit for battle.

It was during one of these small glimpses that Athrun spotted the one enemy he had been keeping his eye out for. It didn't matter that he had been looking for that particular enemy – he could feel the presence coming closer. He saw, with horror, the black and red mobile suit coming at full-speed towards the Freedom. Another, a familiar dark green mobile suit that was now equipped with a gold flyer was coming from the Freedom's left. Kira seemed to have not noticed, engaged as he was with four mobile suits that he was disabling quickly... though not quick enough.

"KIRA!" Athrun shouted, fear and anger clenching his heart. He screamed, the sudden pain ripping through his skull as he boosted his thrusters, equipping his 'Force Stealer' Sonic Anti-Ship Sword. He raised his weapon and for a moment, the Freedom turned and Athrun caught a glimpse of Kira's face in the cockpit, eyes wide, and surprise in violet orbs. Athrun heard Kira say his name, though whether from the speakers or inside his mind, he didn't know. His eyes were wild, and he cried out, a million images of their past flashing through his eyes in half a second. "Damn it, Kira... _Look out!_"

The green seed exploded again, though this time in a shower of gold and white.

_"It is highly possible that you have gone through the process of evolution completely. This can only be done with great determination, and a great desire to achieve and protect something. In your case, it is highly likely that you are forced to enter this third stage of SEED after what had happened in the facility."_

_"But why?"_

"_Those who possess the SEED tend to believe that this world is still worth saving… So perhaps that is why."_

The Force Stealer missed the Freedom by inches, clashing against the Strike sword of the black and red mobile suit instead. The Freedom paused, but only momentarily as it was forced to equip its beam sabers, just in time to block the attack by the Advocate. They moved back at once and Athrun turned his head, glaring angrily at the new mobile suit in front of him. The unknown needed no name. "_Miho._"

The black and red mobile suit pulled back, storing the sword and taking out its beam rifles. "_You're the blue-haired. You don't want to kill the Freedom."_

"No, I don't," Athrun agreed.

"_It'll hurt you. But I don't mind,"_ the voice snickered and was abruptly cut off. _Perhaps so,_ Athrun thought, his eyes narrowing. _But it'll hurt you as well and that's all we need._

Athrun exchanged his sword to his railguns just in time as the Omnicide deployed its Exodus DRAGOONs. Boosting his thrusters, Athrun shot up and released his triggers, firing towards the DRAGOON units that were chasing after him. His weapons locked onto the moving targets and he fired, too many beams hitting unsuspecting mobile suits around them instead. There was too much trouble being a large target and he knew it. METEOR will play a very little role from here onwards, at least for now. Athrun sped, shooting and moving as he came to the closest ship to him – the Archangel.

"Archangel! I'm deploying the METEOR unit here. Please take care of it!" Athrun said, disengaging the large unit from his back and boosting his thrusters again to lure the dangerous mobile suit away from the ships. He could barely hear the response from the Archangel from where he was, the adrenalin rushing over him. The DRAGOONs chased after him, but Athrun was ready. Taking a sharp turn, he faced the Omnicide and fired the cannons mounted on his shoulders. Miho dodged, quickly moving to close-range as it equipped its beam sabers instead. The DRAGOONs turned, firing behind him and Athrun hit the propulsion system, missing the attack by the width of a hair. Turning, he took out his beam sabers, a small smile on his lips now. Close-range fighting was his forte, just as it was Miho's.

Sabers clashed in the blackness and though Athrun was extremely quick, Miho was ready to intercept. They lashed out, one hand after another, taking short breaks as the DRAGOONs fired or as cannons were released before coming into contact again, two mobile suits dancing in the vacuum. The Omnicide was extremely flexible, moving with absolute ease as if Athrun was fighting an actual person rather than a machine. His mind was abnormally clear, though he was aware of nothing else apart from the enemy in front of him. Sweat poured down his face as their sabers clashed again, then again, then again. Athrun pulled back and Miho chased. Another clash of sabers and Athrun moved forwards while the other retreated. And the fighting went on. Even without a propulsion system to match Athrun's, the Omnicide, being so small, was relatively quick. ZAFT certainly had done the suit justice.

"Where is your weapon?" Athrun asked quietly, though the line wasn't established. "_Kuso._ _Where are you hiding it?"_

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Artemis – Ultimate Freedom (Present Day) (Kira Yamato)<strong>

Kira cried out in surprise as the right side of his METEOR exploded, sending his Freedom to the side. He equipped his railguns, boosting his thrusters as he sped towards the Advocate. The Advocate seemed ready to intercept but Kira hit the controls and the Freedom spun to its side, releasing the remaining half of METEOR which slammed against the mobile suit. The explosion was large, larger than it should for something that just barrelled into another. Kira breathed deeply and cursed as the Advocate, now missing its left leg, flew out of the explosion, having fired its cannons just in time to avoid direct impact that would have split his mobile suit into two. Briefly, Kira glanced to his right where the Destiny was fighting against the Zantetsuken. Shinn had come to interfere with the battle for the umpteenth time, and as usual, Kira was grateful to have him by his side. Further away, he could see the Justice fighting the unknown, which Kira suspected was Miho. The Justice had long gotten rid of its METEOR unit, preferring to fight in close-range against the Omnicide – something Kira was now going to do with the Advocate.

There was no doubt that the pilot had gotten stronger. _Much_ stronger. It reminded Kira of the three Extendeds they fought against during the first war, the ones that had to rely on Gamma Glipheptin to function normally.

He had little doubt that the pilot of the Advocate had taken the drug. There had been nothing but hysterical laughs from the cockpit of the mobile suit since it engaged Kira in battle. The quick movements, the enhanced fighting abilities... No, Kira had _very_ little doubt.

"_Kuso_... What have you done..." he hissed through his teeth, facing the mobile suit again. The gold flyer was familiar, belonging once to the Premium Gundam. And Kira knew exactly what was equipped with the flyer.

The two mobile suits hit their hyper-propulsion systems at the same time, both disappearing into nothing more than a blur. Advanced Voiture Lumiere and Daisuke's antimatter system – beam sabers clashed in the air, the telltale signs being sparks and flashes of light and nothing else. To a close observer, it seemed as if they were both moving in sync as they deployed their DRAGOONs, lashing out again and again. Kira gritted his teeth, manoeuvring away before firing his cannons. The Advocate dodged smartly, but even Kira knew that it was fighting a losing battle now. There was simply no way for the Advocate to win, even if it kept up its pace.

"Stop it," Kira breathed as his DRAGOONs attached itself to his back again.

"_You don't get it..."_ the voice that responded was tired, excited, but overall, _sane_. "_This is what I'm built FOR!"_ The Voiture Lumiere system activated itself again and Kira's eyes widened.

"_KIRA!_" The Justice sped towards him, the Omnicide chasing after.

Kira turned his eyes back to the Advocate. "_Just hurry up and do it! Fight! Fight, you coward!"_

"_KIRA!"_

Kira cursed angrily, his hands gripping his controls as he dodged the attack, moving up.

"_Let's go, Kira!"_

He blinked away the angry tears quickly. Athrun was fighting _alongside_ him. That had to count for something, even if he couldn't save the two mobile suits. The Justice and Freedom hit their Wings of Hope, both mobile suits suddenly sprouting white and gold wings as they sped quickly in sync. The Justice lashed down on the Advocate while Kira deployed his DRAGOONs, moving at an unimaginable speed as he equipped his Strike Sword, swinging it full-force at the Omnicide. There was a cackle of delighted laughter as the Omnicide held him off with his own Strike sword, the DRAGOONs deployed to intercept Kira's. One of Kira's DRAGOONs fired at the same time as the Justice brought down its Force Stealer, penetrating the headpiece of the Advocate before the cockpit was sliced into two by the high-powered sonic sword of the Justice. The explosion was large, distracting Kira for a split second. A second too much.

The Omnicide boosted its thrusters, pushing the Freedom back. Kira gritted his teeth, maintaining the hold of his sword as he pushed against the force of the smaller mobile suit. "I won't let you do it..." he said angrily. If Athrun could not kill Miho, he would. Anything to release the pain from his friend.

"_Kira!_"

A second sword slammed itself against the Omnicide's sword, sending it back. Kira took the opportunity to thrust himself up, flipping back and bringing his sword down cleanly as he sliced the Omnicide into two. A second explosion followed and Kira cried out in surprise as his mobile suit was thrown with the force of being so close to the blast. In his line of vision, he saw the Destiny take the Zantetsuken down. The Renegade ship exploded moments after. It was over.

A distance away from them, Artemis was ready to fire.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Artemis (Present Day)<strong>

**10 minutes**

The multiple firings from the Archangel, Kusanagi and Aurora did not seem to do the small asteroid any damage. Cagalli clenched her teeth together in frustration. The shield around it was _powerful_.

"Archangel! I'm going inside! There must be a generator that's putting up the shield. I'm going to look for it!" Cagalli said, turning and boosting the thrusters of the golden mobile suit as she moved past the barrier into Artemis. Time wasn't on their side. She could hear desperate voices calling her name from the ships, but Cagalli paid them no heed. Heliopolis was in danger. PLANTs was in danger. Even Earth was in danger. And she could not afford any of the three to suffer any more damages. She just couldn't. It had been her father's legacy to fight against fighting, and even though the notion was pretty contradictory, Cagalli could not help but fight for what she believed was right. She couldn't protect anything with emotions alone. Kira had taught her that.

Another mobile suit flanked her as she entered and she realised with surprise that it was no other than Mu inside the Imperial. "_Someone has to look after the princess,"_ Mu sighed in explanation.

Cagalli grimaced. "I'm perfectly able of taking care of myself!"

"_Maybe. But with Artemis this big, it'll take two of us. Come on, Cagalli!_"

They sped inside hurriedly and Cagalli was more than aware that there were mobile suits chasing her tail. Her mind worked furiously, wondering if she could spare the time to take them down before locating the barrier. A beam beat her to it as it destroyed the headpiece of a mobile suit. Cagalli allowed herself to look back only long enough to notice that the Hyper Duel had followed them. "_Tsch. I can't trust the Naturals to ever take this down,_" Yzak said hotly from his mobile suit. "_Dearka, Shiho, take care of everything outside!_"

"_Roger!_"

Momentarily, Cagalli blinked. _Shiho? So he's finally on first-name basis with her?_ she thought, a smile tugging at her lips as she allowed the very brief moment of happiness to wash over her. She sped quicker, aware of the explosions behind them as Dearka and Shiho attacked the pursuers. Still, it was as she had predicted – once inside, the number of enemies lessened by an amazing degree, It had been like this when she had followed Athrun inside the GENESIS during the first war.

"_I think that's it,_" Mu said, stopping his mobile suit. They faced what looked like the central core of the small fortress. The Duel readied its missiles and Mu and Cagalli both prepared their armaments. "_Let's do it!_"

**9 minutes**

"Mobile suits have broken through the barrier!"

Ryuu clenched his fists. "Fire the Artemis! Kill them while they're inside while they're at it. For goodness sake, the Archangel is _right there_!"

"Eight minutes to fire! Power is rerouting! Something is disturbing the controls!"

**8 minutes**

Patience and observation. Those were two things that Amalfi believed play the biggest role in the winner of this battle. He had been patient. And he had observed. The moment word had been sent out that the Akatsuki had entered Artemis, he had ordered the GENESIS ZERO to fire. Ten minutes. The Akatsuki would never be in and out within ten minutes. Never. Ten minutes to get the shield down, to have the prism in place by the Nazca-class, and to fire. Ten minutes.

GENESIS ZERO was a ship, and he was on board it. A large ship – not as large as their Gondwana-class, but large all the same. Large, but carrying none, except for the weapon which the ship was named after. And the prism would be brought by the Nazca-class that was ever so productive in what it could do.

"Shield down! Nazca-class already set to the coordinates. ETA nine minutes!"

He was playing with one big weapon of destruction. Like what it had been named after, the prism could not control the beams. Not entirely. He had set the main target for Artemis, the second being Heliopolis, but the prism itself was a double-edged sword. The GENESIS ZERO was a weapon just like Artemis. Should Artemis's beam enter the prism, they would die. It was as simple as that.

"Charge complete! Firepower routed. seven minutes to fire!"

**7 minutes**

"_KIRA!_"

"I see it! Shinn!"

"_Roger, Commander!_"

Three mobile suits immediately disengaged their enemies and boosted their thrusters towards the ship that had just made its appearance. ZAFT suits sped towards them instantly, held off by the ships they had from Orb as well as the Eternal. Kira sent a silent thanks to Waltfeld, fully aware of the Archangel's position so close to Artemis. Cagalli was there... so was Lacus. There was no chance for him to allow them to be taken down. Not now, not on his watch, not ever. The Freedom and Justice activated their hyper-propulsion systems, shooting past the Destiny as they made their way to the new ZAFT ship that was there.

As soon as he was within shooting range, Kira deployed his DRAGOONs while Athrun began to engage the Nazca-class ship that was bringing the prism. It was nearly like an orb, though once closer, one could definitely see the facets that made the surface of the prism, much as how it had been described by Waltfeld earlier on. The countermeasures were against them in a heartbeat and Kira cursed as he fired his cannons repeatedly, then equipping his Strike sword as he lashed down on the large ship. A _very_ large ship, larger than the Eternal even. He moved back, deploying his DRAGOONs again, only to have the alarms going off deafeningly in his cockpit. On impulse, Kira dodged as a high-energy beam nearly blew him into smithereens. The incoming forces from ZAFT were moving in quick.

"Shinn, on me!"

"_Roger!"_

Leaving the Justice to deal with the remaining Nazca-class along with their remaining forces, Kira locked his cannons onto the ship and fired again, easily dodging its close-in weapons system as it fired towards him.

**5 minutes**

"Come on!" Cagalli shot her cannon once again towards the core, joined almost instantly by Yzak's and Mu's missiles. The explosion was large, causing a chain reaction along the lines as it began to create chains of blasts, one after another. But the core still hold, glowing ever so brightly. "_Kuso!_ One last time!"

"_And I thought you could settle this_," Dearka's voice suddenly joined them. The two Enigmas stopped beside Yzak's Duel and Cagalli smiled, delighted now as the Buster readied its combined cannons into a Hyper Impulse Cannon. Shiho's Enigma readied its Gatling Beam Cannon and they took aim again. "_Those idiots outside stood no chance."_

"_Shut up, Dearka,"_ Yzak snapped, preparing its last round of missiles. "_This last one should do it. The one who stays to watch is an idiot._"

"_Well, we'll need to see who that will be,_" Mu said, amusement colouring his tone.

The core exploded again and they fired, flashes of different coloured beams and missiles moving as one. Cagalli didn't stay to watch. She turned her Akatsuki and hit the thrusters, speeding away from the core as fast as she could.

**3 minutes**

The ceiling above them exploded, showering them with sparks and smoke. Amalfi coughed, shaking his head. He was still on target. Still on target. Three minutes to go! Even if he couldn't hit the prism, he could _still hit Artemis!_ He could still hit the Archangel! He could still end this!

"Sir! Thrusters are down! So are our weapons!"

"Abandon ship! Go, now!" Amalfi shouted, running towards the control panel. He pressed down on the button to fire, again and again, but the thing wouldn't _work_. Two minutes. "Out with it already!" Amalfi cursed as his crew members all abandoned the bridge, leaving him alone. The external cameras were still working, showing the Freedom moving at high speed as it tried to bring the ship down. But this wasn't a normal ZAFT ship. Amalfi smiled smugly as he watched the Freedom's attempts – successful as they were, it just wasn't powerful enough to bring a ship down in two minutes.

Amalfi's eyes narrowed at the sight of the Justice trying to move the Nazca-class away from its intended position. No. _NO_. This had to work. It had to! The GENESIS ZERO would fire, would hit the prism, would obliterate the whole battlefield and beyond. It had to!

**2 minutes**

"_Kuso!_"

Athrun slammed together his beam sabers and dashed forwards, his lashes perfectly on the target as he sliced one mobile suit after another. The Murasame fighters were being overwhelmed, and Athrun had no idea what he could do next. He activated his hyper-propulsion system, moving with quick speed and deployed his boomerangs, watching as it crashed into the Nazca-class. It was obvious that Athrun had rendered it unable to fight any longer, but it was still in position. The prism, secured safely in the middle of the ship, was simply impossible to destroy with the time he had. But Athrun knew that from the beginning. No, what he needed was to move the ship _away_.

Well, there was one thing he could do. A sense of déjà vu settled within him as he backed away, readying his Force Stealer.

_For those who had died. Miguel, Nicol... For Lacus. For Kira and Cagalli._

Athrun boosted his thrusters, crying out in both anger and determination as he hit the Wings of Hope. White and gold wings sprouted from his back and he accelerated at a speed that was almost impossible to control. He disengaged his Fatum-02 sub-flight lifter and lashed down with his anti-ship sword, feeling the sonic emitters working through the metal of the large ship. His red backpack rammed through the ship starboard side and the Nazca-class began to move with the momentum. It was slight, but it was enough. Athrun flipped, slamming his sword down once again and boosted his thrusters, well away from the Nazca-class.

**1 minute**

It took three different moves. Three different moves that worked at the exact same time as Kira and Shinn brought the large ship down. Kira had deployed his DRAGOONs and activated his Wings of Hope, gold and white wings decorating the blue, white and gold mobile suit as it lashed down on the weapon with its Strike sword. The Destiny fired its assault cannon straight into the mouth of the GENESIS ZERO and backed off, ready for the ship to explode. Only it didn't. As a last move, Kira fired his cannons towards where he suspected the bridge was located, his DRAGOONs moving in sync along with him.

The ship began to explode, and for a moment, Kira thought they had finally succeeded.

**0 minutes**

From light to dark, bursting out in the open space was relief for Cagalli as she headed straight towards the Archangel. It wasn't until she was right beside the white and red ship that she allowed herself to look back, watching as the Artemis began to explode from inside. There was a moment of silence as everyone seemed to hold their breath. Cagalli watched as the two Enigma units followed her, with the Imperial and finally the Duel behind, leaving the fortress.

She turned, and saw that the exact same thing was happening with the large ZAFT ship, the GENESIS ZERO. They did it. They had succeeded!

The amount of firepower that had been ready to fire did not compile and explode as how they had predicted it would. Rather, it had to find the quickest way to exit the chamber, the pressure and heat too much for the exploding fortress. The Artemis fired, followed by the GENESIS ZERO, in the exact same second, both heading straight for each other. The GENESIS ZERO missed the prism from the Nazca-class, and right between the two beams was the Archangel-class ship.

Athrun's eyes were wide in horror, but Kira was already racing towards the ship, hand outstretched as he cried aloud, his voice inaudible, even to him.

They had been too late. Far too late.

But two ships weren't.

It was perhaps rather comical that the workers of Heliopolis and Orb had already decided their reason in creating the large disks that they had installed into the two ships that had participated in the battle was to protect those who had gone into the battlefield. It was perhaps rather comical that they hadn't stayed behind to use the shields to protect Heliopolis, as how the bearer of the name of the disks should have. They moved in position, almost a split second too late, on either side of Archangel. Blue and white particles of the shield turned a shade of red as they intercepted the attack, exactly as how they had during the test they had endured a few short weeks ago. Only the redness began to turn darker and darker still, until it looked like blood in the middle of the universe.

Athrun held his breath as the last of the gamma firepower was fired from both GENESIS ZERO and Artemis. For one split second, the fighting stopped, all eyes trained on the two Protectors of Heliopolis. The Protectors of Heliopolis were now protecting the Archangel... protecting Cagalli and Lacus... the true protectors of Heliopolis. Those within the line of fire was reduced into nothing in a matter of seconds. The firing stopped, Artemis exploding straight after, but the GENESIS ZERO held. The disks continued to glow red, darker and darker, and Athrun realised he still wasn't breathing. He couldn't.

Inside the Akatsuki, Cagalli watched in horror as the power contained within the disks could no longer be held in place. The ships exploded, one after another, on either side of her, overpowered by the power of the attacks. Cagalli hit the controls of her Akatsuki, tears streaming down her face.

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 GENESIS ZERO (Present Day)<strong>

Kira didn't know how he knew for certain that Yuri Amalfi was alive and inside the GENESIS. It was exactly the same as how he knew Durandal had been alive and inside the GENESIS during the last war. And just like during the last war, he could hear Athrun shouting his name from far behind, desperately catching up. Hot tears were streaming down Kira's face. Tears of betrayal and anger. Tears of relief that Lacus had survived, but anger that he had allowed himself to feel that relief at the cost of many good lives. He stopped short in the middle of the corridor as he spotted Yuri Amalfi making his way on the opposite side, stumbling once from a grave injury by his side. The oxygen was leaking out of the large ship, but they still had time. They had all the time in the world if Kira was to display his anger at the other man.

Amalfi gazed at Kira long and hard. "Freedom's pilot?" he guessed, tilting his head. The first time he had truly met the boy. The one face among many faces that was labelled as the suspect to Freedom's pilot, but this was the real one. He was surprised by how young he looked... young like Athrun. Like how his son would have been.

"Kira Yamato," Kira said quietly, gazing at the man in front of him. "I'm here to take you out of here."

Amalfi chuckled and shook his head. What a man, worthy of the name of his mobile suit. He raised his hand, pointing the gun at Kira's face. "No. Not for me. Unless if you want all this to continue again."

"Kira!" Another familiar figure emerged and Amalfi smiled. _At least I got to meet him before I die... Nicol's saviour..._

"Athrun Zala."

"...Amalfi-san."

Kira was looking at him with an unreadable expression in his wet eyes. Eyes that, Amalfi realised, was always full of sorrow. He recognised those eyes well. Eyes like his. "This doesn't have to continue again. Not if you don't want it to," Kira muttered.

"An idealist," Amalfi mused. "Perhaps it's not bad when the one in power is as such."

"Why does it have to continue?" Kira asked quietly.

"Because my son died for it," Amalfi spat, Nicol's picture burning in his chest pocket. "Don't you get it? Don't you understand just how many Coordinators had died because the Naturals killed them? It's the only way for us to survive! To feel at peace!"

"It's not!"

"My son died! A Natural killed him and a Natural will keep on killing us!"

Athrun had his gun pointed at Amalfi, though at his words, he couldn't help but glance once at his best friend. Kira hadn't raised his gun. Athrun had been prepared for that, ever since Kira learned the truth through the data block that they had received from Hikari. "Kira..." Athrun said quietly. Kira shook his head. He sighed.

"...Your son wasn't killed by a Natural," Kira whispered. "It was me. I was the pilot of the Strike. If it makes you have one less reason to kill, to wage war against the Naturals, to prevent us all from living with each other... You have reason to kill me," Kira said, stepping forward once. His eyes were tired as he gazed at the gun pointed at his head. Almost as if he was willing for it to fire and end it all for him.

Amalfi's eyes widened and he shook his head. "No. It wasn't. Athrun..?"

"It was," Athrun confirmed. "Kira is my childhood friend. I thought I had killed him... but I hadn't. He survived. And I realised that even if I had killed him, it wouldn't bring Nicol back."

"...No, it brought a whole load of other deaths instead," Amalfi said harshly.

Kira winced.

"And you hadn't?" Athrun countered. "It's time for us to end it. We have all killed. So has Nicol. But we all wish for nothing but to stop it from happening again."

"And what makes you think you'll achieve it this time?" Amalfi asked curiously.

"Because we're able," Kira answered, casting his eyes down.

Amalfi stared at the two in front of him. One was a friend of his son whom he admired greatly. A fighter, one who never gave up in search for peace and justice. And the other... the pilot of the Freedom. The _Freedom_. The legendary mobile suit who would constantly disable its enemies instead of bringing it down. It would save the lives of the pilots inside the cockpits, even if it knew that the pilots would likely just get new units. All for a chance. A hope. A dream. But he had killed his son, and to Yuri Amalfi, that was all that mattered.

The sound of a gunshot rang throughout the corridor, followed by an ear-piercing scream. Only one gunshot.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter. Truly, truly, truly, I am. Unfortunately for me, I'm smack right in the middle of my finals right now, but I seriously couldn't put off this chapter any longer. So here you go. A full day writing this chapter out for you guys and I'll worry more about studying a bit later. I hope, in the end, that this battle has met your expectations, though I always found that it's the aftermath of a battle and not the battle itself that holds the biggest impact in a story like Gundam SEED. Which, in any case, if this battle had not met your expectations, I hope the next chapter will. Because it'll be full of what I do best - tying the strings and character interaction and exploration. I won't say when the next chapter will be out. Being right in the middle of my finals, I should not promise. But it should be out by the end of this month and that's all I'm going to say about when the next update will be.

Anyway, I hope you're all still out there, dearest readers. Please drop a word and let me know your views? I know some things have yet to be explained. Save the questions and it'll probably be answered by the end of the fic. I thank IgNighted, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius and blackphoenix4ever for reviews left for the previous chapter. And thanks for all the alerts and favourites! My thanks as well to those who have read and reviewed the first chapter of my next fic, GENESIS. :D That fic will be a heck of a lot different to this, but I promise I'll try my best and not disappoint. I have high hopes for that fic. Happy New Year, and tune in for next time (apologies for the cliffhanger)!

* * *

><p><strong>IgNighted:<strong> That song was one of my absolute favourites. I was really upset it didn't get more of a role in GS/D, so I just had to use it. :D I'm glad you liked it!

**Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius:** Thanks for the review! XD I admit Ryuu had such a great timing for the last chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one!

**blackphoenix4ever:** Thanks for your review, and I'm sorry it took so long for me to update. Real life can be quite nasty sometimes. But I hope this was worth the wait!


	24. PHASE 23: The Aftermath of War

**PHASE 23: THE AFTERMATH OF WAR**

**C.E 79 Archangel (Present Day)**

Climbing out from the cockpit of the modified Imperial Gundam, Mu La Flaga looked around and spotted his wife standing on the far side of the hangar where he had just docked, her eyes teary as she regarded him. He crossed over to her, pulling her into his arms in a tight embrace as he pressed his lips against hers, murmuring soft words of gratitude that she was still alive, that the ship was safe. He had been right beside the Archangel when the GENESIS ZERO and Artemis fired, had watched as the two rays of gamma destroyers travelled towards them, and had thought that that was the end of his life. That this time, he would truly be gone, along with the Archangel, as the high concentration of gamma rays would react to their bodies and reduce them to absolutely nothing. He had truly thought that.

When the two Izumo-class ships had appeared on either side, taking the impact of both fires with the Protectors of Heliopolis, Mu had been shocked beyond belief. He had heard the protests coming from the Archangel, the desperate cries of Cagalli from the Akatsuki, and he had watched, transfixed inside his cockpit, as the disks they had worked for so long began to absorb the rays. Of course, the disks were mere prototypes... mere prototypes that they had developed to its best potential in the time they had. It was well known that the disks still had a very high possibility of not being able to withstand such a devastating fire from a weapon like the GENESIS... and indeed, they had not. Though Mu would argue that in a way, the Protectors of Heliopolis _had_ succeeded, in some way. They had taken in the impact, but the ships were destroyed in the process, along with the disks.

The Archangel and those who were behind the two ships when the impact was absorbed were miraculously alive.

Pulling back, Mu examined his wife's face worriedly. "Are you alright, Murrue?" he asked quietly, resting the back of his fingers against her cheek.

She smiled weakly at him and nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. We received some reports that Ryuu Apene had been in the Artemis when it was destroyed. There's still no official release whether he survived or not..." she said quietly.

Mu nodded. Right now, if he was honest, he really didn't give a damn on whether the man had survived or not. Nor did he care about the status of Earth Alliance or ZAFT. He was worried about his wife, about his comrades, his crew members, the ship and very little more than that. He was about to point it out when he suddenly noticed the expression on Murrue's face. The _grief_. And he knew instantly that she was merely trying to distract herself from the emotions within her, from the knowledge that two of their ships had perished in trying to save them. The tears began to fall from her eyes, the warm brown eyes glistening, and he hugged her again, gritting his teeth.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Artemis Battlefield (Present Day)<strong>

"_This is Lacus Clyne, speaking from the Archangel ship. I wish to pass a message to the highest authority of ZAFT. It is meaningless to keep on fighting... and we do not wish to do so. Not just for this battle, but for the future. We hope that all sides will stop fighting immediately. There has already been enough pain and anger... enough loss and sadness... There has been more than enough. And we hope that by ceasing this battle, it will be an agreement to stop fighting once and for all, not just to hold things as a stalemate for the future. We don't need to lose any more of our friends. I repeat... It is meaningless to keep on fighting..."_

"Hahnenfuss! Kuso! Shiho! _SHIHO!_"

The fear and anger that gripped Yzak's chest would have surprised him if not for the urgency of the situation he was in. He forced the cockpit of his Hyper Duel open, leaning out of it towards the heavily damaged Enigma that was now in the grip of his Gundam. The door of the cockpit had been prised open from the large piece of debris that had impacted it following the explosion of the Izumo-class ship that was beside them earlier. The headpiece, torn off, allowed no communication to transfer and Yzak already felt cold as he forced aside pieces of metal to make way towards the inside of the mobile suit.

"Shiho!"

The pilot came within his sight as he kicked a large sheet of metal aside. Shiho was still strapped in her seat, her eyes closed and no indication of movement. Gritting his teeth, Yzak examined her, finding that she had thankfully survived without any grave injuries, at least on the surface. Her suit seemed intact enough. He unstrapped her, pulling her into the cockpit of the Duel before securing the door of the cockpit. "Shiho! Kuso, Shiho!"

Was she dead? She couldn't be dead. She _couldn't _be. Not after they had survived the battle, not after they had survived the shot from Artemis. Damn it, she couldn't die!

He had done too many wrongdoings in his life. He had misplaced his steps and pulled his trigger for the wrong things far too often. He had failed many people. He had failed Athrun before this, had failed Nicol, Rusty, Miguel... He had failed the _Voltaire_... His ship, his crew, his technicians... the lives on the ship that was destroyed in front of his eyes had not received the protection he should have given it. He would not fail Shiho. The girl he had laughed at and made life hell since he was a child so she would hate him, only to have her as one of his most loyal companions... he would not fail her. He couldn't lose her.

Yzak grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Shiho."

His eyes opened as she stirred, her brows pulling together as she turned her head to the side, shutting her eyes again. A small groan escaped her lips, but her eyelids soon opened, revealing her brown eyes which began to take in her surroundings. Surprised, she started.

"Hey, hey," Yzak hushed her, looking down at her. "It's okay."

She seemed to focus on him then, almost disbelievingly. There was the question in her eyes as she wondered why he was right there with her, but her mind worked fast and she had the pieces in place instantly. She knew she was inside the Duel. "Commander," Shiho said, smiling slightly now.

There was a small, almost nervous laugh that escaped Yzak's lips. He shook his head and for once, his eyes were warm as he regarded her. "You stupid idiot. Call me Yzak already. We've made life hell for our parents long enough," he said, pulling her into an embrace as he forced the relieved tears back.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Aurora (Present Day)<strong>

"Onee-chan!"

"Meyrin! Thank goodness!"

Shinn watched from the inside of his cockpit as Meyrin ran towards her sister, embracing her tight. They were laughing and crying from where he could see and he smiled briefly at them as he docked his Destiny Gaia inside the main hangar of the second-generation Nazca-class ship. There was a strange emotion that was bubbling inside him as he watched them and he leaned back, staring at the ceiling of his cockpit, breathing deeply. It was over. He had been overcome by a sense of déjà vu when the ships surrounding them had released their signal flares, calling their soldiers back to the base ships. He remembered the last war, while remaining on an abandoned asteroid, as he had watched the ships around him signalling for their mobile suits to return, to stop the fighting... He had also felt at peace... truly at peace, the moment the signal flares had been fired.

"_Stellar has always protected Shinn... I will still see you tomorrow, Shinn._"

Shinn raised his head, a small smile coming to his lips. "I know. I understand now, Stellar. Thank you," he said quietly.

He had never felt more at peace with himself. The battle he had fought in earlier was done with clarity of the mind and heart that he had never experienced before. Covering Kira's back, looking out for his young Commander, boosting the thrusters and intercepting the Zantetsuken before it could harm the Freedom, fighting until the mobile suit was destroyed under his hand, continuing to fight with the Freedom until the end... It all felt _right. _There were no torn emotions, no feeling of sadness or fury. There was only sheer clarity. He had been clear of what he wanted, of what he was fighting for, and he had fought for it.

There were no regrets in the mind of the young pilot.

With that in mind, Shinn deactivated his Destiny and opened the hatch of his cockpit, looking out at the light that was now streaming inside. He hoped, this time, that he would not need to climb into the cockpit in order to participate in a full-scale war once again. He had been torn at the start, unable to figure out which side he should be fighting for, what sort of freedom he wished to give to those around him... and in the end, he had made his decision. Despite the battles, the fights, the killings, the wars... he could not figure out a true way in which Naturals and Coordinators could live separately. He had seen, in Orb and in Heliopolis, the absolute peace and potential that might happen if both sides were to live in peace, and he had decided, right there and then, that that was the future that he wished for the world. Peace. Not separation, where both sides may still possess hatred to one another.

Peace.

True peace.

Perhaps it would make him an idealist, much as how Uzumi Nara Attha had been. Looking back, Shinn realised that it was upon that man that his parents had placed their faith until their dying day. And though he had started his career as a mobile suit pilot by hating the man and hating his ideals, he realised now that what he truly wished for was to fight for what his parents had previously believed in. He had not felt torn, at the very least – not as how he had always been back when he was fighting for ZAFT during the first war. That in itself was enough of an indication for him that he was fighting for the right thing.

As his feet touched the floor of the hangar, Shinn had barely taken off his helmet before something hard slammed against him, nearing toppling him off-balance. He blinked in surprise, his red eyes wild as it rested on Lunamaria's figure hugging him tightly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Vino and Yolan, both grinning, with both arms around each other's shoulders. Vino grinned at Meyrin who turned red, shaking her head with a smile. The joy came to him then, bubbling inside him, and finally he laughed, embracing Luna tight against his chest. He was only vaguely aware of the laughs coming from those around the hangar, but there were tears as well... tears coming down both Luna and Meyrin's cheeks, tears cascading down the cheeks of the technicians and workers... Shinn was too absorbed in his emotions to realise that there were tears running down his cheeks as well.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Archangel (Present Day)<strong>

Focusing his eyes on the vacuum of darkness outside, Sai released a low sigh as he watched the floating debris, knowing fully that bodies of fallen soldiers were floating among the pieces of metal surrounding the ship. He was in the viewing deck, deciding to part from his work station momentarily as he pressed his forehead against the cool glass, staring outside. It was quiet... at least for now. Everyone was busy retrieving their mobile suits in their small cease-fire, though tension still hung in the silent blackness outside. For now, it has been agreed that the fighting had truly stopped, and they would remain there until both sides return back to their homes... Lacus Clyne, at the very least, seemed rather busy in trying to talk to the commanding officers of both fleets, convincing them as well as herself that there had been more than enough bloodshed and that no more would come after this.

Her voice, her strong words as she spoke through the Archangel, had hit him hard and he found himself needing to escape the ship's bridge, if only for a short break. It was tiring for him to listen to her... not because he did not have any faith in her words and desires, but because he was overwhelmed with emotion. Then again, everyone probably was at this point.

_Fllay... Are you watching all this, wherever you are? Maybe it has truly stopped this time..._

Seven years had passed since the death of his ex-fiancee, and Sai found that he still thought of her a lot. She had been a victim of the war and he couldn't help but think that he had failed her. She had been a gentle soul, thrown into the chaos of death and killing, and he hadn't been able to protect her from the effects it had on her. In the end, he believed that they had parted on good terms. They had been civil, if not slightly awkward, but they hadn't been enemies either. No... The word 'enemy' was perhaps too strong for anyone at this time. They had been scarred mentally for far too long during the first war and had found no way to escape, no matter how much they had wanted to.

If the war had truly stopped this time, Sai would let it go... All those broken feelings, all those memories. They would stay in his heart, but he would finally be able to move on from them.

"Sai?"

"Miriallia. Kuzzey." Sai smiled, turning his back against the panelled glass of the viewing deck as his two friends joined him. Miriallia walked over and hugged him knowingly, her pretty aqua eyes shining with tears.

"Are you alright, Sai?" Miriallia asked, a small hint of a smile on her face.

The golden-haired boy shrugged lightly. "I'm fine. Are you?" he asked, addressing them both. They nodded, and Miriallia made a small noise signalling the affirmative. "That's good," Sai said slowly. "It's finally over, huh?"

"...Again," Kuzzey added darkly.

Miriallia blinked, a look of surprise on her face. Apart from Kira, she was the only one who stuck with the Archangel for the second war. Both Kuzzey and Sai had left after the first war, unable to continue fighting, then realising that they were even more hopeless when they merely stayed at the sidelines to watch the news. Sai caught the dark feelings that came with Kuzzey's words. He turned his gaze away from Miriallia, his eyes clouding slightly. "How do you do it, Miri?"

"Do what?" Miriallia questioned, perplexed.

"...Go through this, again," Sai said, waving his hand at the view outside... a view that would have been stunningly beautiful with the stars that shone like diamonds against black velvet, only that it was now tainted with deformed metals floating around them.

Miriallia looked down, a serene expression on her face. It was an expression Sai recognised; one that he would usually see on her face whenever someone mentioned Tolle to her. "Sai, we never go through the same thing twice," she said quietly. Both Sai and Kuzzey raised their eyebrows, exchanging surprised glances with each other. Miriallia laughed lightly, shaking her head as a tear slid down her cheek. "After the war, I became a professional photographer... and after the second war, I continued the same thing. And there are differences... It's not that we're fighting for the same reason because nothing changes, you know. Things do change, and each time, it's different. You have to believe that it's different because that's what you fight for. It's not pointless to stop fighting because there are still a lot of people who wants to smile."

"Maybe you're right..." Sai trailed off slowly.

Miriallia smirked. "You idiot. Of course I'm right!"

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Kusanagi (Present Day)<strong>

"_It looks as if Lacus's words are doing the trick... They've agreed to meet in peace in Heliopolis as soon as they settle matters in their own bases. But Lacus wants to meet them quick... most likely within these two weeks. Guess it's best to strike the iron while it's hot, huh?"_

The corners of Kisaka's mouth tugged slightly and he shook his head, amused. "I guess it cannot be helped if that's the case. But we would like to stay here just a little longer... just to make sure," he said, his voice firm as he gazed at the screen in front of him. The image of Waltfeld shrugged upon hearing his words, already at ease inside the Eternal.

"_That's fine. Doesn't look like the Archangel wants to move, either,"_ he said, smirking slightly. His voice dropped, his cheery expression now taking a more grim look. "We're still scouting for survivors from the Hatsuyuki and Shirayuki."

"Cagalli's still out there as well," Kisaka said, his eyes glancing to the image that the external cameras of the Kusanagi was projecting. Amidst the ruins of the ship the destroyed Izumo-class ship beside them, he could just spot the flash of a gold mobile suit along with a few others, scouting for survivors from the blast that the ships had taken. It didn't seem likely, even to him. But it didn't hurt to search, and Cagalli had already made it clear that she wasn't going to dock until she was satisfied with her findings. There were a few other mobile suits there, and Kisaka could see that the Destiny had just launched from the Aurora, followed by a few Enigmas. He shook his head, sighing. "Thank you, Commander Waltfeld."

"_The thanks goes to you, Admiral Kisaka. Without them, we would have been..."_ Waltfeld trailed off, averting his gaze.

There was no need to say it aloud. Without the two Izumo-class ships, the entire battlefield would have been reduced to nothing. The possibility of having no survivors from any of the three sides was incredibly slim. They had all been saved by the two ships that had died protecting them.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Archangel – Enigma Buster (Present Day)<strong>

He should have docked the Enigma Buster inside the _Aurora_. Dearka wondered if Yzak would notice, or if the General was too busy with his newly-loved Lieutenant to notice that the Captain had slipped away. With luck, maybe Yzak hadn't noticed. He needed a small power-up before launching again and joining the search with the Hatsuyuki and Shirayuki after all. Not that he couldn't get the servicing done on the _Aurora_... he just... Oh, damn it. He wanted to see Miriallia. Screw the _Aurora_, screw Yzak, he would give his excuse and leave it. Yzak would sure understand, otherwise, he would just need to _beg_ Athrun to duel the silver-haired Coordinator and smash him like a bug on _anything_, even a Chess game -

_No, relax._ Yzak hadn't even reprimanded him yet. Dearka laughed, climbing out of his Enigma Buster. He shouted to the crew below, easily telling them that he needed a small power-up before launching again... not that he needed to, really. The workers on the Archangel were so efficient that sometimes, Dearka believed they could read the minds of the pilots and knew instantly what was wrong and what needed repairing.

It was admirable, at the very least.

Miriallia hadn't been on the CIC when he had asked permission to dock. Though he was disappointed, he was also relieved that she wasn't still stuck to her workstation. Though it meant hunting for her... he had time to kill while waiting for the crew to finish with his Buster anyway.

His mind made up, Dearka strolled to the elevator and ascended, away from the hangar, still clad in his pilot suit except for the helmet which he left in his cockpit. He wondered where he should go first. What was the most likely place where Miriallia would go to, following the end of a war? A shower? The cafeteria? Sleep?

None seemed to strike him as being very Miriallia-like.

Dearka frowned and rubbed his head. He had such a strange relationship with the girl... so very... innocent (or was it, really?), and quite tentative. Enough for him not to know where the heck she would have gone to after a war.

Damn it. And he thought he already knew the girl. It seemed as if there was a lot more that he needed to learn.

"If I was Miri... After a war, I'd probably lounge somewhere. Get something to drink, maybe a snack. Maybe even tease Yzak a bit... no wait, that's me," Dearka frowned, unconscious of where his feet was taking him. "Well, it's the Archangel. Would probably hang out with Kira and the buddies, but Kira is still out there. Bet the guy would still stay there until he's unconscious or something," he said, rolling his eyes.

He knew where _he_ would have gone to. He would seek the company of his friends immediately. But the question wasn't the _who_, but the _where_. "Damn it, can't you just appear out of thin air or something?"

"Can't _who_ just appear out of thin air? You're not cheating on me, are you?"

Dearka spun, violet eyes wide in surprise as he spotted the pretty, pretty CIC dressed in Orb's uniform. There was a twitch at the side of her mouth as she tried to hide her amusement, her aqua eyes sparkling with mischief. Well... at least he hadn't needed to look for her, room to room. "And why would I want to do such a thing?" Dearka asked, strolling towards her with a smirk of his own. "I have my own share of pretty crew ladies."

Miriallia giggled. "I hear pilots are good-looking as well," she mused.

He arched an eyebrow. "None that would suit my taste, unfortunately," Dearka joked, imagining Athrun and Kira. Or worse,_ Yzak_. That nearly made him shudder.

The chestnut-haired girl gave in then, laughing as she threw her arms around him. "Welcome back, Dearka. I'm glad you're safe," she said.

"To you as well."

She pulled back. "Are you staying?" Was that hope in her eyes?

Dearka shook his head. "I'm heading out in a bit. Continue the search," he said shortly, but she caught his meaning clearly enough. They immediately sobered. Attempting to lighten the situation, Dearka moved his hand, holding hers. "It's only for a little while. You know I'll stay as long as you want me to," he said quietly.

Miriallia smiled. "You know you can't escape me that easily. Not in a million years."

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 – Nazca-class Ship (Present Day)<strong>

"_We thank you for pulling back your forces. I hope that we will meet next time under better conditions, Commander,"_ Lacus's voice rang clearly with the same melodious voice that everyone loved her for. But the image projected on the screen was that of a determined, perhaps even forceful young woman. Rita looked at her carefully, noticing that those azure eyes were resolved in not letting anyone cross them. There were a few exchanged words between Lacus and the commanding officer, though these were tuned out as Rita exited the bridge, finding nothing else that may interest her.

She walked slowly, finding her room with minimal difficulty after familiarising herself with the ship for the past few, short weeks. It was empty – Miho would have been with her, if he had survived the battle. She had stayed in the ship, had watched the battle between the Omnicide and the Justice, and she had wondered which prayer she should wish for inside her heart – for him to triumph, or for the Justice to win. On one hand, she truly loved Miho... she loved him as how she might love a son even, but on the other hand... how could anyone not place high hopes on the son of Patrick Zala?

The middle-aged scientist slumped down against her bed, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to come to terms with what had happened. Miho was gone... Phaedra's base was destroyed... The project, the creation of Extended Coordinators, was now nonexistent save for herself and a few others who had known. Yet those who might know might not have even survived the battles that had taken place. Perhaps it was time to restore the Scientific Innovation Society... perhaps it was time to search for advancements and developments away from those that might fuel the war.

The Scientific Innovation Society... How she had longed to belong in that organization again. It was an organization of both Coordinators and Naturals, working together to create wonders like military advancements and the creation of PLANTs... Only they were torn apart with the tension that escalated between Naturals and Coordinators. Advancements were limited based on whether you were a Natural or Coordinator... those who worked together only belonged in the neutral countries like Orb and the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Before long, the SIS was the authority that was connected to military advancements, and that only... like developing powerful weapons... supersoldiers... It sickened her to think of how low they had gone, from being scientists to being the harbingers of war.

Burying her head in her hands, Rita thought deeply on the events that had occurred for the past three decades. How had humankind managed to stoop so low, to use their advancements and technology as a reason to prevent themselves from uniting with one another? How could they, so educated and so advanced now, fail to escape from the barbarianism that had coloured their past histories?

She had many friends from the SIS... Natural friends. Natural friends that she had known for years, but were separated and turned against her following the war that erupted between Naturals and Coordinators. She knew a number of them had been forced into developing biological CPU's, otherwise known as Extendeds. Those few had then killed many Coordinators, and she too was exploited, forced into the project of creating their own version of Extended Coordinators.

...The worst part was that she had agreed.

She had tried to put on a brave face – war was all about survival, after all – but she could not deny that it hurt her to see Miho enter battle so willingly, so... devoid of compassion and emotion. Was that the type of person she wanted to see as the martyr of war, as the one who would lead them to a new future? One without heart and compassion?

"Miho..."

The boy never knew what he could have been. He had never known the laughs he could have given, the sorrow he could have felt. And she had allowed that.

"I'm sorry..."

She wanted her tomorrow to be led by those with heart and compassion. Let it be Lacus Clyne, Orb, the Archangel, the Justice... and the Freedom...

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 – Girty Lue-class Battleship (Present Day)<strong>

Takeru Irashi, a mobile armour pilot and one of the crew members of the destroyed Archangel-class ship, _Renegade_, sat down and sighed as his eyes travelled to the screen that was located on his far right. He winced slightly as the doctor pressed down on the deep gash on his arm, but the pain had been dulled and his mind was elsewhere. Just before the destruction of the ship, a large number of the _Renegade_ crew members had managed to escape under the orders of Captain Sethe Tienn... though what happened to the Captain was unknown. Takeru presumed he had died in the explosion, taken down by the ever-powerful Archangel. He shook his head, listening to Lacus's voice as it spoke through the speakers. For now, peace had settled... but Takeru knew of his fate. He would most likely be charged with the crime of treason, and subsequently punished with a death sentence.

He had already long decided that that was the fate waiting for him.

In the end, he survived. He nearly laughed at the realisation. He, a mobile armour pilot, had survived while the three Extendeds were taken down, one by one. He had not noticed when Genei and Tierra had been taken down – he only realised it when their lights blinked out from his radar and that he could no longer detect them.

The door slid open and he turned his eyes at the newcomer, immediately recognising her – the _Renegade_'s CIC, Schellen Iyadomi. She stopped short, shuffling awkwardly, and he arched his eyebrow at her. "Schellen," he greeted, wincing slightly again before narrowing his eyes at the wordless doctor beside him.

"Takeru... Are you... alright? I was told I'd find you here. The others are at the second briefing room... we're told to stay there," Schellen said, obviously uncomfortable. With the Captain gone, the crew had no leader to follow, and being on a foreign ship that had the right to accuse them of treason at any second was unnerving.

"I'm fine," Takeru replied shortly. He would have asked about her well-being, but the answer was just too obvious that he believed it would bother her even more if he was to point that out.

"You're done," the doctor said shortly, standing to wash his hands at the nearby sink. Takeru had been one of the last to seek treatment, but it was obvious that the doctor preferred the man to leave the room immediately.

He sighed. "Thank you. Come on, Schellen," Takeru muttered, getting to his feet and holding out his uninjured arm to lead her out of the infirmary. The doctor hadn't been the only one to act coldly to the _Renegade_ crew. In fact, they hadn't received the best treatment ever since they rejoined the Earth Alliance. Takeru supposed that people, when stripped from their powers, were left with nothing to defend themselves with.

He wasn't particularly familiar with the layout of the Girty-Lue ship, but Takeru knew better than to disturb the people around him with something as trivial as asking for _directions_. Besides, it seemed as if Schellen was able to navigate herself well enough... though they had to turn back a few times, and she would stop and look around in confusion several times before deciding on which corridor they would take amidst the maze they were in.

Takeru kept a close eye on her, noticing how incredibly _uncomfortable_ she looked. He sighed, stopping. Realising that he was no longer walking by her side, Schellen paused and turned, raising her eyebrows. "I-Is something wrong? Did we take a wrong turn again?"

"Beats me," Takeru shrugged, raising his arms in defeat. "Schellen... everything will be alright," he said finally, noticing how deep the blush on her cheeks were as the words escaped his mouth.

She averted his gaze, biting her lips. It seemed as if she had been on the verge of tears for _days_ now. Since before the battle, even. "Sorry."

"Schellen," Takeru reprimanded.

The waterworks started then, cascading down her cheeks as she cried. For a moment, Takeru considered turning and walking away, but decided otherwise. What else did he have to lose anyway? He stepped forward, awkwardly pulling her against his chest with his uninjured arm, allowing her to cry there. She was confused, and so was he, and so was the rest of the world.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Kusanagi – Divine Justice (Present Day)<strong>

Scouting the remains of the two Izumo-class battleships proved fruitless. Athrun docked his Infinite Justice and slumped against his seat, resting a hand against his brow. There were no survivors... Brave soldiers of Orb and Heliopolis had _died_ protecting them all. And all for a war that had been repeated one too many times.

Athrun bit his lips, refusing to allow his emotions overwhelm him. Could he save _no one_? Wasn't there a single soul that he could save in the world? He allowed himself to look back to what had happened in the GENESIS ZERO, closing his eyes as he did so. _Nicol... I'm sorry..._

Faced with Yuri Amalfi, a gun pointed directly at the man's head, Athrun had been certain that he would be able to shoot without hesitation if the man was to make a move to shoot Kira. His best friend, _closest_ friend, stood only an arm's length from him, the gun also pointed at the man before him, though Athrun had known Kira for too many years to know that something was deeply troubling the young pilot. He kept his eyes on them both, determined not to lose either one of them... not when he could prevent it... When he finally said Amalfi's name, Kira lowered his gun, his face expressionless as he gazed at the man.

_"This doesn't have to continue again. Not if you don't want it to,"_ Kira had muttered.

_"An idealist. Perhaps it's not bad when the one in power is as such."_

_"Why does it have to continue?" _

_"Because my son died for it. Don't you get it? Don't you understand just how many Coordinators had died because the Naturals killed them? It's the only way for us to survive! To feel at peace!"_

_"It's not!"_

_"My son died! A Natural killed him and a Natural will keep on killing us!"_

The hurt that appeared on Kira's face had been so obvious that Athrun couldn't help but wince slightly. At the moment, the battle he once had with the Strike flashed in his mind. Kira, crying but determined to avenge his friends' death… and he, Athrun, had been fighting to avenge Nicol. It made him shudder, even now, as he remembered. He had said Kira's name, but the Coordinator merely shook his head, still refusing to point the gun at the man before him. Kira had revealed the truth, had told Amalfi that the killer he had been searching for so long, the cause of all his pain and hatred, was right in front of him… and also willing to give his life away if it meant lessening the hatred.

The conversation had spiraled out of control, and Amalfi had cried out in anger, bringing his gun down. Only one shot was fired, and that had been from Athrun's gun. He had been prepared, prepared more than anything to save Kira from _any_ form of pain wherever possible, and the bullet had struck Amalfi's hand. The gun dropped as Amalfi cried out in pain and Athrun had sprinted immediately, kicking the gun well away from the man before bringing his gun up again.

He had no intention of firing again, but then again, he hadn't needed to.

The ground shook, the ship already reaching its limit. Athrun was vaguely aware of the ceiling falling on top of them, but something knocked him aside, sending him away from the destruction. His head banged against the wall, momentarily dazing him. Yet he opened his eyes to find Kira holding him tight, his quick reflexes the only thing saving Athrun from instant death. Kira had been fast to push Athrun out of the way, but there had been another person…

"Amalfi-san!" Athrun had cried, scrambling quickly towards the wreckage. "_AMALFI-SAN!"_

"Athrun!" Kira called him, but Athrun paid no heed, his emerald green eyes scanning the area desperately as he tried to push some of the wreckage aside. He knew it was futile, even before Kira grabbed his arm, half-shouting that they had to get out of there quick. It was with great reluctance that Athrun conceded, and they had barely made it out from their mobile suits before the ship broke apart completely, rendering the GENESIS ZERO history.

A half-strangled cry escaped Athrun's lips as he shook his head, casting the memory aside. His finger lingered over the button that would deactivate the Justice and open the hatch of his cockpit, but emotions overruled rational thinking and he screamed, loudly, slamming his fists against the Justice's controls. His body shook, the tears flowing down as sobs wracked his body. "_Kuso._"

Leaning back again, Athrun blinked the tears away and raised his eyebrows slightly as he noticed that the crew members below seemed to be arguing about something. They were standing in front of the Akatsuki that was docked beside him, gesturing wildly. Athrun pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself to control his emotions. He could easily figure out what the ruckus down below was all about. The fact that there was no sign of Cagalli anywhere, not to mention that the Akatsuki was still active though safely docked, was enough to tell him. Athrun punched the codes of the Akatsuki into his Justice, unsurprised when he couldn't form a communication link to the golden mobile suit. Whatever it was that he was feeling, he could only just imagine what was going through Cagalli right now. The vibrant girl was always emotional – both positively and negatively – but it was difficult for _anything_ to break her down. Anything, apart from her nation, that was.

The Justice lifted its right arm, moving to hover near the Akatsuki's chest. Athrun deactivated the mobile suit and climbed out of the cockpit, giving a firm nod to the technicians below that he was aware of the situation. They quietened abruptly. With relative ease (though he could have just asked for a platform), Athrun navigated his way around the Justice's chest, reaching out to climb onto the arm, then moving down until he was in front of the Akatsuki. The mobile suit was still active – the external cameras and microphones would be working, but so was the override keypad that he could use to force open the cockpit. He decided against using it and rested against the Justice's palm instead, knowing that he was well within Cagalli's sight by now.

"Cagalli," Athrun called her, his voice firm. There was no response, not that he was expected any. "Enough now, Cagalli... come out," Athrun said quietly.

Still nothing.

He sighed. Bowing his head, Athrun inhaled deeply, forcing his emotions under control again. He was Orb's _Admiral_... He wouldn't let things take a turn for the worse, not if he could help it. "Cagalli. It's alright. We tried... and there's still a lot of things we can do to stop it from happening again."

Empty words. Words that weren't even comforting to himself.

In truth, Athrun wanted nothing more than to have Cagalli in his arms. To take comfort from her, selfish as it may seem. It was probably that want that led him to give up, typing in the access codes from outside and forcing the cockpit open. She said nothing from inside.

Alarm and concern gripped his heart for a moment as he wondered if she had perhaps been injured, even if she did sound fine outside earlier. But the feeling subsided, replaced by sorrow, as her voice reached his ears, stating his name quietly from the cockpit.

"Cagalli," Athrun called her again, climbing inside. The cockpit was small, cramped even for two people, but this hadn't been the first time Athrun had shared a cockpit with her. He examined her closely as he went inside, noticing that she had taken off her helmet and that she seemed, thankfully, uninjured. The cockpit itself seemed to escape from any damage. But her eyes were haunted, red-rimmed obviously from endless crying. Tentatively, Athrun held his hand out to her. "Let's go."

She eyed his hand for what seemed like hours. There was nothing but childlike uncertainty in those eyes, and Athrun steeled himself, willing himself to be the strong one this time. He had placed her as his anchor for _years_, trusting her to keep him in track for fighting for the right thing. He would be the strong one this time.

When she finally reached out to take his hand, Athrun pulled her close to his chest, settling down as the tears broke through and she sobbed, holding him tight. He did not hush her, allowing her to cry freely except when she would apologise – in those cases, he would reprimand her quietly, telling her that she had done nothing wrong. They had tried. They had gone all-out and really tried.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Archangel – Ultimate Freedom (Present Day)<strong>

The Freedom was the last mobile suit to dock in its ship after all sides had retreated and all mobile suits had returned. By the time Kira powered off the mobile suit, Lacus was already waiting for him down below, as she had promised, with an unreadable expression on her face. She waited as Kira climbed out of the Freedom, landing on the ground easily, and turned to look at her. She supposed that at this time, his eyes mirrored hers – full with emotion, yet at the same time, devoid of any. He walked over to her, pulling her into his arms in a gentle hug, then released her with a soft kiss to her lips – yet both gestures felt empty. _Kira_ felt empty.

She greeted him with the same gentle tone she had always used with him, smiling her usual serene smile, and walked with him (accompanied by Haro, of course), to the pilot changing room. She stayed outside as he changed, tapping her foot silently, until he exited and smiled at her. She wondered if the smile mirrored hers – gentle, beautiful, yet at the same time... empty. She accepted his hand when he held it out to her, walking alongside him and still wondering where they were going... until they stopped at his room, empty, and entered.

It was only when they both seated themselves on his bunk that Kira finally spoke; "Lacus... Are you alright?"

The usual start, then.

"I'm fine," Lacus said reassuringly, even though she would much prefer to skip this particular topic. "The fighting has stopped for now, and we must try our best to change the world with the chance that has been given to us... But perhaps that can wait for a little while," she said, a smile tugging on her lips. "Are you well, Kira?"

He nodded slowly. "I'm fine... But... Cagalli," he said, a little troubled. He wasn't the only one who heard Cagalli's scream when the Hatsuyuki and Shirayuki took the impact to save the Archangel.

Lacus's eyes softened. "It's alright. Athrun is with her now," she said, believing her words fully. Her ex-fiancée would never allow Cagalli's fiery spirit to die. "Kira... In the GENESIS ZERO... What happened?"

Kira raised his eyebrows slightly. He wasn't aware that Lacus knew he had entered the ship, apart from being inside the Freedom. "I met Yuri Amalfi," Kira said slowly, wondering if Athrun had reported while he was still outside. "He was... alone. I think the crew had abandoned the ship." Putting in more detail than he originally would, Kira recounted what had happened. The talk... then noticing that Athrun had followed him inside, leaving the Justice. How they had argued, and how Kira had admitted that he was the one responsible for the death of Blitz's pilot, Nicol Amalfi. How he had tried to convince that it wasn't too late, that humanity and the bond between Naturals and Coordinators could still be saved... How Amalfi had tried to shoot, but Athrun had released the trigger first, the bullet planting itself in Amalfi's hand. How the gun was deflected, and how Athrun had kicked it away, only to find a wreckage falling on them. The wreckage would have killed both Athrun _and_ Amalfi, if not for Kira managing to push the younger Coordinator out of the way. He was sure he had grabbed Amalfi's arm... He was sure he had saved the man from dying. But he also recalled Amalfi pulling his arm away, away from Kira, thus allowing himself to be crushed to death by the piece of the ship that was falling apart.

Kira decided that he would keep that knowledge to himself... except to Lacus. He could never keep anything away from her.

She had listened quietly, but as he finished, she nodded. Kira was surprised to see that there was something like... _relief._ Relief in her eyes. "So that was what happened... I thought you might have..."

He was confused. "Lacus?"

Lacus shook her head. "I should have known that you would have always tried to save everyone you could, Kira," she said kindly.

"You knew what happened in the GENESIS ZERO?"

It was Lacus's turn to look confused. "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

Kira's brows pulled together. "How?"

"Kira, your voice – what happened – it was all relayed across the ships, across the universal communications channel," Lacus said, perplexed now.

He felt as if the ground had disappeared underneath him. How was that possible?

Yet, a small memory came to him now. How he had powered up the Ultimate Freedom for the first time all those months before... how he had noticed that the Ultimate Freedom did, in fact, come with a Universal Communications Channel. Yet the knowledge had slipped from his mind – not exactly forgotten, but it was something that he thought was better suited for Lacus than a silent fighter like himself. For someone who had been one of the few who initiated RENEGADE, who had been able to connect with people across the universe for what he was fighting for... perhaps it wasn't all that surprising that Daisuke had fitted such a thing inside his Freedom. The input band that was always located on his left wrist, typical as something that came along with all mobile suits units, would have allowed him to communicate with any other mobile suit through the Freedom. While usually one would communicate through a single channel, it wasn't impossible if there was an _alternate_ channel... A channel like a universal one.

Was it luck that he had transmitted the entire conversation on what happened in GENESIS ZERO? Fate? Or would it plague them all and send them to their doom?

Lacus seemed to have read what was on Kira's mind. "Most mobile suits and ships knew the transmission came from the Freedom. But it's alright, Kira. We'll try our best after this."

He barely heard her. If the purpose of living was given to him, spelled out to him even, it was making a lot of sense to him now. What he had done... What he had needed to do. What he would need to do after this, even...

_"It's just like I said, Kira. I want to believe... You are Via Hibiki's son."_

_"Who are you?"_

_"There are many people with power in this world, Kira. Understand that. Power does not come to people without reason. In the world we live in now, power comes to those who are willing to fight for the same cause. Without support, you have no more power. Without power, there is nothing you can do. Learn that, Kira Hibiki! Learn the true nature of this war, learn the true way of fighting your battles. Bring the change that you want to bring – if not because you are the Ultimate Coordinator, then because __you__ want it!"_

"I understand now..." Kira whispered.

Lacus tilted her head. "Kira..?"

All this time, Lacus and Cagalli had positioned themselves in front, in public. They had spoken their views without fear, and had fought for those views with the strength that could not be given by mere soldiers. Even Athrun had risen through the ranks, positioning himself as Orb's Admiral and working his way through with much more publicity than Kira had dared to give the world. But he was the pilot of the Freedom. This was something he had to do... Something that he had always needed to do, only he was too comfortable living in the shadows.

"You don't need to work so hard by yourself any longer, Lacus. I'll be there... Beside you. After this. We'll work it out together," he said, a smile coming to his lips now. Satisfaction... and peace. He felt them now.

He would stop leaving everything in Lacus's hands. He had reason to start talking to the world now, after all.

Lacus's azure eyes were shining, the sorrow barely leaving a trace in her irises now. She reached forward, resting a palm against Kira's cheek, and he smiled at her. He had promised her... He had survived the battle, and he had promised her... that soon, one day, he would marry her.

* * *

><p><strong>C.E 79 Archangel (Two Days Later)<strong>

With only a day away from reaching Heliopolis, the sorrow that had haunted the Heliopolis fleet was now buzzing with a new form of energy. Hopes, dreams, as well as relief and eagerness to meet family members from the small space colony... All these feelings mixed together among the travelling ships. The stray ships from ZAFT and the Earth Alliance that had followed them from before the final battle had stayed with the original fleet. For now, it seemed as if the soldiers were still determined to leave an impact on what they were fighting for. Not that anyone was complaining – following the unlawful battles and fighting that had followed for the past decade, it seemed as if Cagalli and Lacus weren't the only ones who were eager to start afresh. Perhaps it was too early to hope, but for now, it felt as if a new world was forming once again. There were news of the Scientific Innovation Society now beginning to reunite and rise, Natural and Coordinator... it was a start, early as it was, even though the real meeting between nations would be held in two more weeks.

During this time, Athrun had boarded the Justice and was busy getting order back where they were needed, acting once again as an Admiral of Orb with Kisaka by his side. There were many discussions and preparations, especially with Lacus, Cagalli and Yzak, but this time, Kira was not left out. He had decided to become an active voice in drafting the new world, and nobody had argued against it.

On the second night following the aftermath of the final battle, Athrun had taken the liberty to stop by the Archangel instead of returning to the Kusanagi. He was eager for a private chat with his old friend. It never ceased to amaze him how their lives had changed – how different they had been since that one spring morning when he had given Torii to Kira, and had departed with nothing but the feeling of utter dislike to the army and to war. How they had changed since then.

He was admitted into the Archangel's hangar easily, and there he docked, deactivating his mobile suit beside the Ultimate Freedom. Shinn's Destiny also occupied the hangar, along with several other mobile suits – repairs were well under way, even though Athrun risked himself to believe that they would no longer be launching in the suits for battle after this. He was hopeful and optimistic, and was aware of both.

Chief Murdoch, for the first time since Athrun had boarded the Archangel, was asleep when Athrun climbed out of his cockpit, transporting himself to the ground below. He found that it was absolutely remarkable even though he knew that Murdoch would of course have rested, even though he seemed like an omnipresent being in the Archangel hangar. Athrun chuckled to himself, exchanging brief news with the technicians and engineers before walking over to the pilot changing room. He dressed himself in plain black pants and shirt – his uniform was at the Kusanagi – and strolled easily through the blue-ish white corridors, towards Kira's room. Whether Kira was there or not was something he did not know – it was a wild shot in the dark.

As he walked, Athrun bumped into Shinn and Lunamaria, then into Commander Flaga. They had met on the ship often enough that nothing of particular interest could be discussed. When asked his purpose of being in the Archangel, Athrun merely said that he wanted to see Kira and excused himself.

It felt like a dream, walking inside the Archangel, knowing that there were no potential battles looming before them.

Reaching Kira's shared room with Shinn, Athrun strolled inside and was glad to see Kira there, lying on his bed with his arms crossed under his head. The brown-haired Coordinator raised his eyebrows and sat up in surprise, clearly not expecting Athrun to be in his room. The young Admiral seemed far too busy these days, after all.

"Athrun," Kira greeted, his face breaking into one of his usual smiles. "What are you doing here?"

Athrun frowned. "Why, can't I come and speak to you these days?" he asked, smirking now. "Or is the great Freedom pilot basking himself in his newfound fame?"

Kira immediately grimaced. Athrun seemed unable to stop reminding him on how he had accidentally transmitted the event in GENESIS ZERO to the entire universe. "Of course not," he said immediately, annoyed. "You've just been busy."

Athrun laughed lightly, sitting on Kira's bed now. His gaze was gentler now. "How are you with that, anyway? Are you sure it's alright?" he asked.

"Yes," Kira said, not even hesitating with the word. His eyes, too, were softer now. "It's fine. I shouldn't leave everything to you guys anymore... All this time, I've run away enough times. I want to help this time," he said, determined. Let him take the spotlight; if that could put more emphasis on what Lacus and Cagalli were trying to do, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Athrun examined him, but something about Kira's expression must have convinced him. He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "That's fine, then."

"Torii!"

Both heads shot up as an all-too-familiar mechanical bird circled them. Athrun smiled, watching it as it flew around them room and finally landed on his shoulder, tilting its head curiously with another "Torii?" escaping it. Athrun held his forefinger out, allowing the bird to hop onto it, and moved it so it was level with his head. He eyed the green bird curiously. Of course, it had many fine scratches on it that came with its age, but it seemed well-cared for enough. "When was the last time you serviced Torii?" Athrun asked, curious now. He had never asked before, but he was sure Kira would have cared for the bird a great deal for it to still be working so well until today.

There was a brief pause after his question that made Athrun glance at his friend. Kira had sat up, a troubled expression on his face. Athrun was suddenly wary. He had not seen that expression in a long time, but he recognised it. It was the same expression Kira would give him if Athrun caught him skipping his homework. "...I never did," Kira mumbled, turning his face away.

He was instantly annoyed. "You _never_ serviced Torii?"

Kira suddenly seemed childlike as he bowed his head. "Well, I charged him as you always told me to – twelve hours exactly, no more or less, every month. You never said anything about _servicing_."

"You _never_ serviced him?" Athrun repeated, releasing a frustrated sigh and instantly turning the bird upside-down. Torii let out a small sound of indignation, but that died down as Athrun flicked its switch, turning it off. Almost mechanically, he took out a pocket-tool from his uniform pocket, fumbling for the small screwdriver among the many tools attached to it, and began to open the small panel below. "Ki_-ra_. It's been what, ten years –"

"Eleven," Kira corrected quietly.

"Eleven _years_ since I gave you Torii, and you never serviced it? Didn't you remember our lessons for micromechanics? You're _always_ required to service them, otherwise, it would break!"

"Torii worked fine all this time, and never let me down. I thought since _you_ made it, it wouldn't need servicing," Kira defended himself, the grimace still on his face.

Athrun huffed, taking the panel off. He peered into the bird, his face immediately annoyed again. "See? Look at these wires! Point A221 should have been linked to A223! And what is A090 doing, linking itself with P539? With a Tither wire and one of those new Terrachips, you can easily make Torii work better. The board looks like it can overheat at any time now – look at the _colour_ of it," Athrun shook his head. _How_ the bird could still function with a ten – no, _eleven _ – year old technology pieced together by mere fifteen-year-old was beyond him. He shook his head. "You've always hated micromechanics, but I thought after all these _years_, you'd have at least _attempted –"_

Athrun stopped, turning to look at Kira now. His friend, so different to that time yet so similar all the same, had his lips pressed together as he hid his amusement. It came to Athrun, then, that the last time he had been so worked up _had_ actually been eleven years ago... back when they were such carefree children, over something as trivial as micromechanics in school. Kira was the first to start laughing, but Athrun soon joined, the bubbles of laughter bursting out of him. He placed a hand on Kira's shoulder, laughing hard, as he had never done before, and Kira pressed a hand against his stomach, tears streaming down his face.

Athrun did not realise when the laughter changed into tears, when the mirth changed to sobs, but they were both holding each other very soon after as they cried.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> Well now, the finals are now over, and that means good news for all the dearest readers out there. It means that I can finally update regularly for this fic again! One of my favourite chapters to write, this one, though that last scene was really hard (emotionally). It's a tribute for the Suits CD, of course. Next chapter will be scheduled to be uploaded on the 27th January. Then, if all goes well, the final chapter will be uploaded on the 31st January, marking the end of this fic. Once again, I thank all the readers for staying with me so far - please stay until the end, with only two chapters to go! Thank you for the alerts and favourites, and thank you to saveme57, blackphoenix4ever, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, WHAA, Twinklefeather, IgNighted and Apparocks for your reviews. Let me know how well you liked this one? Tune in, until next time!

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><p><strong>saveme57:<strong>Lacus and Co. were saved by the two ships from Heliopolis in the last chapter. It was between Kira and Athrun who might have died, but I couldn't kill any of the two. Maybe it's a typical 'happily ever after', but I think after all they went through GS/GSD/Renegade, it's probably a happy ending they deserve.

**blackphoenix4ever:** College, huh? That must be challenging. I'm already in university, so it's a little tough to get things done and juggle writing at the same time - but I manage. Got the holidays to enjoy, with hope that there will be more writing after this. :D Glad you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks so much!

**Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius**: About time, huh? XD I kept on waiting for it in GSD, but he never did! I was so frustrated. Kira and Lacus are one pair that I think has no question that they will be together until the end.

**WHAA:** Many thanks! I love you as well!

**IgNighted: **Thank you! I was worried the emotions did not come across enough in a battle scene like that. XD Hope you enjoyed this one!

**Apparocks:** ...Wow. Am I wrong to assume that between both your reviews, you managed to read... everything? In such a short time? If true, then that's just... incredible. .


	25. PHASE 24: The Turn of Lives

**PHASE 24: THE TURN OF LIVES**

**C.E 81 – Orb (2 Years Later)**

Pacing back and forth, Athrun could barely keep his nerves under control as he tried to focus on his breathing, inhaling and exhaling slowly, then quickly, then slowly again. He couldn't _believe_ he would be worked up over something like this, not after _all_ that he had gotten through. He forced himself to stop, turning to cast his eyes on Kira who was watching him with a look of amusement plastered on his face. It wasn't fair. Today was Kira's day as well, yet the man did not look bothered in the least on how their lives would change after this. Well... perhaps it would change more to Athrun than it would to Kira, who had lived with Lacus and the children long enough... No wait, what was he_ thinking_? Kira was marrying _Lacus_. Lacus Clyne. The change would perhaps be far, far more than Athrun and Cagalli. He had been Lacus's fiancée long enough to know that the gentle songstress kept traditional boundaries... not that Cagalli didn't, but he had to admit that they were a little more... _modern_, perhaps? No, what was he thinking? Focus! Focus, man!

Athrun stopped his pacing and inhaled, at first just to calm himself, but then he inhaled further. He could just taste the tang of salt in the air, and he could easily hear the distant lapping of the waves on the shores. No matter how long he had stayed in Orb, that was one thing he had never gotten used to, and hoped he never would. He knew that with time, people often stop listening to what made a place special, but he had always enjoyed the sound of the waves against the shores. He hoped the day would never come where he would become accustomed to it. Those sort of natural waves were just impossible to imitate in PLANTs. The wind blew through his hair, and he smiled, slightly more at ease now.

Athrun looked up to the raised, concrete ground above them. A flight of stairs would take them up to where the memorial of war stood, proud and tall, but he wasn't required to go there yet. Soon, very soon, terrifyingly, but not just yet.

Today, this fine day, exactly two years since the cease-fire in Artemis, would mark a new start for his life and Kira's. It was an event that was perhaps long overdue, considering the circumstances.

Yzak and Shinn were still nowhere in sight. Athrun turned, placing his ungloved hands against the railings adjacent to the stairs, and looked far into the distance. He could just make out the blue sea over the trees that filled his vision, far from this part of the island. To his far left, the volcano loomed, beautiful in its own way with the power that one knew was associated with it.

Today was not the last step he would take with Kira to ensure that they had truly created a peaceful world. But he believed that it was the start in sealing away previous memories of war, to sketch out a new drawing on a new page instead of trying hard to modify a drawing to look better by adding more details. Simplicity held a charm of its own.

After the war, a conference was held that lasted for seven days and nights at Junius Seven. It wasn't a normal conference that was attended by leaders of a country. Rather, it was attended by... everyone. It was broadcasted to the world, and those involved in it consisted of himself, Lacus, Cagalli, Yzak, Kisaka, ZAFT Council members, representatives from the Earth Alliance, both Atlantic and Eurasian, representatives from neutral countries like the Kingdom of Scandinavia, United States of South America, Orb and the Equatorial Union, representatives from the newly-patched Scientific Innovation Society... and a lot more to name. It was a council held like no other, involving the masses of public even through their votes and concerns that they relayed to their own representatives. Exhaustion brought them together in ways unimaginable.

There, many issues were addressed... the energy crisis, previous battles, future plans, even discussions regarding LOGOS and Blue Cosmos which were among the hardest subjects to approach. It was agreed that because there were many Naturals who were unable to accept Coordinators, and vice versa, a decision was made to isolate several parts of both Earth and PLANTs to remain Natural-free or Coordinator-free, at least until further actions could be taken. Slowly, very slowly, but surely, they would work towards achieving full peace and acceptance by all. To Athrun, there were still years of work, but they had time... they had a lot of time.

With the merging once again of the Scientific Innovation Society, it seemed as if humanity was finally, once again, under the same umbrella as they had been before Coordinators existed. Remarkable scientists and engineers who had helped with the war had stepped down, refusing to fuel any more reason for hatred. Perhaps it was their small numbers. Perhaps it was the large number of casualties and deaths. But it was happening, finally, and Athrun was glad for it.

Under a new reunion, old treaties were revised and looked over. The army of all forces were disbanded – or rather, they had merged into one, a separate force than those of each nation's forces, which worked towards further establishing peace between nations. This group, almost comical, was named the Archangel FORCES, separated into protecting the land, the skies, the sea, and space. The land was largely taken by forces that had once been with the Earth Alliance, while the protection of the skies and seas were taken by previous Orb soldiers working closely with the Eurasian Federation. Space was largely protected by those who had previously fought for ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. This group was controlled by the United Nations – a group consisting of representatives from all nations.

They were far from perfect, of course. There were still Coordinators who hated Naturals, and Naturals who hated Coordinators. There were still nations that were technologically behind. There were still issues with energy. There were still economical issues. But they were trying.

A large project that was currently under way, named Solar Project A, was one of Athrun's biggest hope yet in working further into solidifying the fragile bonds they had established between the nations. With help from Orb and Heliopolis's technological advancements on the creation of the Protectors of Heliopolis, as well as the brilliant minds in the Scientific Innovation Society (led by a scientist Athrun knew was named Rita), Solar Project A was created to try and build a protective layer around PLANTs' outer walls, for the PLANTs were still very fragile under the harsh conditions of space. This layer would also play the role of being solar ovens, capable of absorbing tremendous amount of energy from the Sun, and could then transport the energy to Earth via wireless power transmission that could occur with zero emissions. In the meantime, large projects were undertaken on Earth for the production of food that could then be transported to PLANTs in return, at least until they were able to work out the best way to maintain habitation in space. With PLANTs needing food and the Earth needing energy, Athrun was hopeful that the bond would stay.

In terms of what had happened to the crew members of the Archangel, Athrun could only shake his head as he tried to recount each members' ways of choosing their paths.

Mu and Murrue, after a year working in establishing the Archangel FORCES, had finally decided to return to the Atlantic Federation. There, they joined the LAF (Land Archangel FORCES) and one of the first things they did was to help rebuild destroyed cities in the Eurasian Federation in an attempt to lessen the hate between the two.

Chief Murdoch, with very little hesitation on his part, had been one of the very first volunteers in the work of Solar Project A. He now lived in PLANTs, in Martius City.

Captain Laniel Ghens, the commanding officer of the Aurora, stayed with ZAFT.

Sai Argyle moved once again to the Kingdom of Scandinavia where he worked as a chief engineer and designer towards rebuilding the country. Word has it that he hadn't joined the Archangel FORCES, but was instead doing work directly under the nation to serve it as best as he could.

Kuzzey Buskirk surprised everyone by announcing that he was to live in PLANTs. Never one for war, he, too, became one of the chief engineers for Junius's agricultural department. He was now working in trying to get the maximum amount of food with the smallest energy possible in order to have PLANTs a fully established, independent space colony.

Miriallia Haww and Dearka Elsman joined SAF (Space Archangel FORCES), where Dearka remained as a chief pilot and Miriallia as a CIC for one of the Nazca-class battleships. They were both assigned to the same squadron.

Yzak Joule, with no surprise, rose up the ranks and was appointed as a National Defence Committee Member representing Maius City, taking over what had once been Yuri Amalfi's post. His mother, Ezalia Joule, retained the same post representing Martius City. There was talk that Yzak would most likely be appointed the Chairman of PLANTs one day. Shiho Hahnenfuss was appointed a Captain and now had her own squadron, also under the SAF.

After deep consideration on his part, Shinn Asuka decided to leave PLANTs and stay in Orb. He joined the AAF (Air Archangel FORCES) as one of the top pilots, along with Lunamaria Hawke. Meyrin Hawke, along with Vino Dupre and Yolan Kent, stayed in PLANTs. Meyrin left for September City, working as a computer expert while also considering furthering her studies into mobile suit programming. Vino Dupre and Yolan Kent both went to Maius City, working as the top engineers in the development of Solar Project A.

Kisaka, as predicted, had stayed in Orb. Instead of joining the AAF or SEAF (Sea Archangel FORCES), he remained the Fleet Admiral of Orb's forces. Athrun, along with Andrew Waltfeld, however, had joined the SEAF and was currently ranked a Captain.

While Athrun had not managed to meet the RENEGADE crew members during their trial, he did learn from Lacus that they were excused. They had scattered, just as how the original Archangel crew members had, across the universe into their new lives.

Lacus Clyne had taken up her role as a songstress once again, much to the delight of an astounding number of Coordinators, though she had a fair amount of Natural fans as well. She, as well as Cagalli, were well within the United Nations, along with Kira Yamato. Kira, after fighting for so long, had become publicly known as the Freedom's pilot following his accidental transmission when he had been in the GENESIS ZERO and had joined the AAF with Shinn. He was under the United Nations representing the AF, but it was no secret to Athrun that both Kira and Lacus had plans to withdraw during the next selection of representative members. Kira, at least, had informed him that they both wanted to build a home in Heliopolis after this, and that Kira would then join Solar Project A, which he was already well involved in. It had always been a passion for Kira in doing mechanical works, after all, not being either a pilot or a soldier. Athrun had no argument against that.

"Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato! Lacus and Cagalli have arrived," a brisk voice snapped Athrun from his thoughts. He turned, facing an all-too-familiar Yzak Joule, dressed smartly in a black suit. His hair was neatly combed, and there was just a hint of annoyance in his blue eyes. Beside him, dressed similarly in black, was Shinn Asuka, smiling slightly at them. Both had their best man boutonnières pinned perfectly in place by the brides. The grooms, on the other hand, were dressed in white and light shades of cream. Athrun noticed that Shinn's usually messy hair was tidier, as was Kira's. Athrun, of course, would have much preferred to have Kira as his best man, but it wasn't possible when both Cagalli and Lacus were busy wanting a double-wedding. He could only suppress a half-laugh, half-sigh when he remembered how eager they were. What had been even _more_ ridiculous was how they seemed to weave in talks of peace along with the wedding plans.

_Girls_.

"Athrun! You better not pass out here!" Yzak's voice grabbed his attention again. Athrun blinked.

"Sure he's alright, Kira?" Shinn asked, walking over to the second groom.

Kira shrugged. "He seems to be awake still. But we should keep an eye on him – don't want him to fall down the stairs."

Shinn snorted.

Bristling, Athrun ran a hand through his finely-combed hair. "I'm _fine_. Now, are we going or not?" he asked, annoyed.

Kira laughed, shaking his head. "Rings?"

"Here."

"Athrun wouldn't shut up about it since two months ago."

"Alright," Kira answered, another laugh escaping him as he shook his head. He started up the steps, followed by Athrun, Yzak, and Shinn.

"You know, I took the liberty of getting the bride's first kiss today," Yzak said lightly, grinning now. Shinn rolled his eyes, while Athrun stopped, a look of pure annoyance on his face. It was, Kira noted, usually nearly impossible for the silver-haired Coordinator to ruffle his best friend's furs... the tension must be running high. "On the hand," Yzak said finally.

Kira sighed. "Impossible. Come on," he said, pulling Athrun by the wrist. They reached the top of the stairs and was faced with the back of the large memorial, carved out in white marble. With a nod to Athrun, Kira stepped around it from the left while Athrun did so from the right. Shinn and Yzak both took their respective places beside the two. Reverend Malchio was already there, and Kira uttered a soft greeting to him, pulling on his white gloves and fastening them with a satisfying snap. He peered at Athrun, relieved that his friend seemed quite composed despite the pacing earlier.

.

Among the four, only Cagalli has had an experience of actually being the bride for a wedding – a memory she would prefer to wipe away, if at all possible. When the limousine had stopped in front of her home, she and Lacus had embarked it with more than just flutters in her hearts. The idea of having a double-wedding with Lacus had been appealing, until Cagalli actually saw the songstress dressed in her wedding gown. She instantly felt a small pang of regret. Lacus looked absolutely _radiant_, though Lacus had said that Cagalli looked beautiful as well... something Cagalli found rather hard to believe.

The design of Cagalli's dress was what she would consider as being inspired by the summer season, perhaps. It had a very, very light tinge of green, which fitted her perfectly after being forced to more than enough fitting sessions by Lacus. The bust was split in the middle in an almost V shape, the inside covered with light green silk, the outer part decorated with lace, but only down to her waist. From waist-down, the silk dress went down to her ankles smoothly, separated from the upper part of her dress by a flowing lace sash that reminded her of spring time, pale green with a flowery design. It was tied to her back, secured in a complex ribbon, but that was as far as the complexity of the dress goes. Cagalli's hair, still as messy as it had always been, was swept back and decorated with a vine-like hairclip. Pale yellow flowers decorated her left side, and a part of her hair was adorned with pale green ribbons to match her dress. A pair of long white satin gloves and a final veil was attached to the top of her head, held securely in place.

Lacus had been positively _beaming_ with joy when she set her eyes on Cagalli, but Cagalli knew she was no match for the beautiful songstress. Lacus's dress was almost opposite to Cagalli's – in the sense that the bust was made simple, but the skirts were just beautiful. Like Cagalli, Lacus wore a strapless dress which fitted her marvellously over her small form. Wide ribbons, almost like a sash, formed the illusion of shoulder straps as they weaved around the songstress's arms three times, then flowing behind her and weaving through the air. The bust was simple and plain, the design pulled to her right side, allowing her skirts to flow from right to left. The ends of her skirt consisted of long, beautifully designed V's, almost as if the ends of her dress only reached her calf. These were done in layers, both of satin and lace. For the overall design of the dress, Lacus had opted for satin instead of silk, and her white dress was tinged with hints of pink, reflecting her popular attribute. Her hair, already so beautiful, was let loose, swept by the sides to pile on her head, while allowing the long locks to flow down to her waist. The ends curled in large tresses, and she still wore her trademark hairclip. That, and long satin gloves and a veil completed the picture of true beauty.

As they travelled to where the wedding would take place, Cagalli glanced over to Lacus, noticing that she was pulling the tips of her gloves slightly. She cast a curious glance to Meyrin and Lunamaria, both shrugging with a shake of their heads, and turned to look at Lacus again. "Lacus... Are you alright?"

She looked up in surprise, her face breaking into a smile. "I'm fine. A little nervous," she said, laughing lightly. This was new to her. This form of attention from the public was of a very different kind than she was used to. It was so... personal.

Cagalli laughed shortly. "I'm sure everyone will love you," she said reassuringly.

"And you," Lacus said gently. "You look stunning." Then, she turned to both Lunamaria and Meyrin, smiling encouragingly at them both – they, too, look equally pretty, dressed in dresses that shimmered pink and cream.

There was little conversation after as they turned to the road to where the memorial was. Lacus and Cagalli exchanged glances, both smiling as the door opened from the right. Cagalli was the first to step down, helped by Yzak, followed by Lacus who was helped by Shinn. The two best men then held their hands out for Lunamaria and Meyrin.

"Thank you, Yzak, Shinn," Lacus said kindly, casting her eyes up to where the event was. She could barely register the number of people standing at the sidelines, cheering and waving at her and Cagalli both upon their arrival. It was hard for her to focus on anything than going into Kira's arms. Still, she didn't forget to pin the boutonnière on Shinn's suit as Cagalli did the same for Yzak.

"You're welcome," Yzak responded once the boutonnière was safely secured on his suit. "May I have the first kiss for the brides today?" Yzak asked, almost uncharacteristically formal as he grasped Lacus's gloved hand, kissing the back of it lightly before doing the same to Cagalli. It was then that Lacus noticed that there was a small hint of mischief in his eyes. _Poor Athrun_, she thought, hiding her smile. "Well, I shall go and inform the two that you have arrived," Yzak said, his eyes glinting in satisfaction. He turned, disappearing with Shinn.

Lacus shook her head slightly, amused now. If she knew Athrun, her ex-fiancée would probably be very agitated by now. _With good reason, _Lacus thought. _Cagalli is beautiful_.

.

The weddings of Athrun Zala and Cagalli Yula Attha, and Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne, was an event that had long been anticipated by a large number of citizens around the world since it was officially announced six months ago. Bearing the mark of heroes of the war, the streets of Orb were filled with people, all desperate to see a glimpse of the brides as they drove past in the limousine. Two years after the end of the last war, the four had made their names known with the many efforts they put into rebuilding the world and carving out peace between Naturals and Coordinators. Though there were small numbers of people who criticised them, it was undeniable that for the most part, their efforts were accepted.

The path from the top of the stairs of the war memorial up to the large stone itself, where the altar was located, was swathed in white. Chairs were draped with white satin, tied with large white bows with green and pink ribbons trailing down while the vines at the back of the altar was decorated with white roses with silver leaves, ribbons and lace, though none were as large or as beautiful as the two bouquets on either side of the altar. A white carpet was placed right in the middle, going down to form the walkway, and white rose petals were already scattered on it to greet the two brides as they came, the music already transforming into an unbearably sweet tune, played by the piano on the far right.

The soft murmurs of the audience stilled as Lacus and Cagalli came into view – Cagalli bearing the mark as the blushing bride while Lacus carried the image of the quintessence of beauty. A few eyes travelled to Kira and Athrun who were already standing, with Shinn and Yzak smartly in position, to see the priceless faces of a groom who finally laid his eyes on his bride. Both Kira and Athrun were dressed in their respective suits, Kira smiling brightly at Lacus while Athrun's gaze softened into a look of pure, undeniable joy. The walk seemed to go on forever, especially for Lacus who wanted nothing more than to run down the aisle and fling her arms around her beloved. But she maintained her posture, walking slowly, her hand in Waltfeld's while Cagalli's hand was with Kisaka's, both clad in military uniforms. She could see, down the row of chairs, the comrades that had fought so courageously during the last war – and indeed, the previous wars.

She could see Murrue sitting with Mu and Caridad Yamato, and there was Shiho, Dearka, and Miriallia sitting together. Further down, she could see Sai Argyle, Kuzzey Buskirk, Laniel Ghens, Sierra Chaes, Yolan Kent and Vino Dupre on one row. Behind them, crew members of the Archangel were grinning – Dalida Lolaha Chandra II, Jackie Tonomura, Romero Pal, and the ever-skilled pilot, Arnold Neumann. Chief Kojiro Murdoch was no exception, his usually greasy face and messy hair now almost uncharacteristically clean.

But these faces were only small glimpses, for once Lacus's eyes met Kira's, all she could see was his face and nothing else. As she walked nearer, her heart was filled with immense joy at the sight of his lovely amethyst eyes, gazing at her with nothing but happiness and love. There was no trace of sadness or frustration that she had often seen, no loneliness or helplessness. There was only pure joy. Yet still, in his eyes, in Athrun's, in Cagalli's, and admittedly in everyone else's eyes, including Lacus's, there was just a small hint of sorrow as they all thought of the names of persons whom they wanted to be present, but could not. Rusty Mackenzie. Miguel Aiman. Aisha. Nicol Amalfi. Yuri Amalfi. Fllay Allstar. Tolle Koenig. Stellar Louisser. Heine Westenfluss. Siegel Clyne. Uzumi Nara Attha. Patrick and Lenore Zala. Ulen and Via Hibiki. Hikari and Ken Sienth. Daisuke Shen.

Clearly, the list of names went on.

Lacus blinked away the tears from her eyes as she finally stopped in front of Kira, the emotions inside his eyes telling her everything – that they were all sharing the same feeling. He held out his hand, his eyes softening, and Lacus felt her hand being guided into his where he tightened his fingers around hers. A smile broke across his face and Lacus felt her lips pull up, taking strength from his hand.

The vows were simple, spoken far too many times, yet too many times not enough. Cagalli found it hard to focus over the tide of emotions washing over her, and she felt truly envious to Athrun who stood as smart and straight as the elite soldier he was. A few times, he would glance at her, and the sparkle in his eyes would make the blood rush to her cheeks again as she tried to duck her head in embarrassment. But finally, the time to speak came, and Kira and Lacus exchanged their vows first. Cagalli for certain was cheerful that her brother was finally getting married to Lacus, a woman she knew would care for him more than anyone else, even herself, was capable of.

She looked up at Athrun, almost crying as he smiled tenderly at her. "I-I do," Cagalli said, her voice not loud enough. She thought she could hear a few amused chuckles from the audience.

When Athrun's turn came to speak, he did so with such authority, such certainty, that the tears flowed down her cheeks. "I do."

With that, the two pairs were declared as husband and wife, the rights exchanged, and the audience immediately broke into applause as Athrun bowed his head, cradling Cagalli's face as if examining her, before pressing his lips against hers. Meyrin and Miriallia were both crying, as was Murrue who immediately sought comfort from Mu's arm around her waist. Flower petals snowed down, and the many citizens of Orb who had come to watch from the sidelines broke into a cheer. In the crowd, a few individuals exchanged glances and smiled – Schellen Iyadomi and Takeru Irashi being among the few.

Athrun and Kira pulled back, both smiling as they exchanged glances with each other, and the two brides turned to welcome the masses of arms that came to congratulate them.

.

The reception party flowed smoothly after the wedding, with close friends and family gathering together at the orphanage by the sea. Large canopies stood outside where the reception party took place, equally decorated with swathes of white and cream. For the most part, the reception party was lively, comrades who had long been separated since the end of the war finally coming together and meeting each other. Lacus was especially busy as she spoke animatedly to those around her, as was Cagalli, while Kira and Athrun stood by the side along with Yzak and Dearka, laughing and shaking their heads.

"Well, guess it's about time Athrun got married. I got tired watching him with his mobile suit," Dearka smirked, playing around with the liquid in his glass. He arched an eyebrow at the blue-haired Coordinator who was laughing, too happy to be ruffled by the teasing.

"It's not as if you're any better," Athrun answered, turning his emerald-green eyes on Yzak. "Though _someone_ might be taking my place as the groom soon."

Yzak choked on his drink, nearly ruining Athrun's white suit. "_Shut up_!"

"Oy oy. Do you think he's angry because you beat him to it, Athrun?" Dearka asked cheerfully.

"I thought I saw him examining your ring a few times," Kira added. "Maybe he's looking for ideas?"

"Shut UP!"

Athrun laughed. "I'd better let Shiho know."

The four broke into delighted laughs and Dearka thumped Yzak's back heartily as they continued to ruffle the silver-haired Coordinator. Lacus and Cagalli, who were standing nearby with Meyrin, Lunamaria, Miriallia and Shiho, could only shake their heads with small smiles as they overheard the teasing. It was a nice atmosphere for them to enjoy, after finally escaping the press for a moment. For a while, the atmosphere remained its lightness.

Drinks were served and the guests were finally rounded together to hear the speeches.

Lacus went to stand beside Kira as Athrun moved to take his place by Cagalli's side as the audience gathered around, their eyes on the rostrum. There were numerous speeches, given by friends and those who were close enough to be considered as family. When the turn for the groom's speech arrived, Kira and Athrun both exchanged looks with each other as Athrun stepped forward, taking the first speech.

It was short and simple for Athrun's part – being in Orb since the first war, he was both recognised and well-known among those who were there. He gave a traditional speech, thanking those who came, complimenting his bride, toasting his best friend... there were many sweet memories that he had shared with Cagalli, but they all knew it was a meeting that came from war.

When Kira finally stepped forward to deliver his speech, the room stilled, all eyes on him expectantly. Kira examined the faces around him, not all that he knew, but most he recognised. He began his speech much like Athrun's, thanking those who came and sincerely admitting that he felt much at home with Lacus by his side. He spoke a little of his childhood with Athrun which granted a few amused laughs from the audience, but as the chuckles died down, Kira also came to a stop.

It seemed as the audience had been waiting for what came next.

"My role in the war was a coincidence," Kira started, his voice steady. "I was a student in Heliopolis and accidentally stumbled on the Strike when I was running away from the attacks. I enlisted in the Earth Alliance, then decided to become a freedom fighter after knowing that Athrun was a soldier of ZAFT. The Freedom was given to me for this purpose," he paused. The room was silent, everyone listening to know more of the Freedom pilot. Kira hesitated. "I received a lot of help from everyone... a lot of support, and not all those who gave me strength are with us now. We have all lost something during these wars, but it's never too late for us to change what we can. And we can all do it... together."

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><p><strong>C.E 81 Orb - Lacus's Orphanage (Present Day)<strong>

The moonlight shone beautifully, an almost-perfect reflection dazzling the night sea. After staying in PLANTs for so long, with regular trips to Earth as a member of the AF, Kira appreciated the sight of the sea in front of him. He remembered how, so many years ago after the first war, he had sought for peace and comfort in front of this very sea with Lacus by his side, healing his broken self. He didn't know where he would be right now without her.

The bathroom door opened and the smell of perfume and soap filled his nose as Lacus came from behind, placing her arms around him. Kira turned, lightly kissing her forehead, and they watched the sea silently, enjoying the moment. Lacus began to sing after a while, her gentle voice mingling with the music of the sea, and Kira closed his eyes, content now. He would miss this when he would move to Heliopolis next year... but he knew he would be happy. He _missed_ Heliopolis.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lacus asked, resting her head against Kira's chest.

Kira nodded. "I can see something even more beautiful though," he said, smiling.

"Oh?"

"I have her here."

Lacus giggled slightly, shaking her head. "My, I didn't know you're such a romantic. Maybe you can write my lyrics after this."

Kira blushed furiously and he began to stammer a defense, but Lacus's laugh broke off the effort. Shaking his head, wondering how Athrun could always be so romantic with Cagalli, Kira pulled back. Azure eyes met his and he enveloped her in his arms, sweeping her off her feet as he carried her to the bed. "Well, Mrs. Yamato, I can think of a lot more things I can do than write your lyrics right now," he said quietly.

Her laugh echoed around the room.

It was a day for happiness.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> Some readers out there might question the end to this fic. Perhaps some of you may find it to be too happy, too unrealistic, too easy - I don't know. But that's the beauty of fanfiction, I suppose. You can imagine all sorts of endings for the characters, and for the world where Kira and Athrun are in, I imagine that they will eventually have this ending. I'm well aware of my position of an idealist. Sometimes, I wonder if we can achieve the peace that they managed to achieve in this fic. In any case, you're of course welcome to want any ending you wish for - that's what imagination is all about. But I hope some of you are able to accept the ending I've chosen for our characters here. In any case, this is my first time writing an actual wedding scene, and I hope I pulled it off. The last chapter will be uploaded in three days, on the 30th January.

Thank you to Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, blackphoenix4ever, IgNighted and Torii for your reviews, and also to those who favourite-d and alert-ed this fic. Drop a review? Tune in for the last chapter!

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><p><strong>Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius:<strong> Hehe, same here. I'd love to see an anime version of the Suit CDs. Heck, I'd love if they can make a new sequel, or at least a movie after GSD. :D

**blackphoenix4ever:** Many thanks! Your review made mine. ;D

**IgNighted:** I agree. :) But I hope this chapter is a lot lighter and happier.

**Torii:** Ahaha. Your review made me laugh. Maybe Torii still works because it wants to work? :P A bit like Kira and Athrun's friendship.


	26. PHASE 25: A New World

**PHASE 25 & OVA: A New World**

**C.E 86 – Heliopolis (5 Years Later)**

"When building an Operating System for a mobile suit, you need to consider what you have first. Power output is a must when looking at an OS. The more power you have, the better – but then you need to consider what the machine is used for, whether for physical work or for patrols. A good balance must be put between the power used for equipment and the power you put on the thrusters. With today's technology, most MS equipment are self-powered, needing only activation by the MS. Sometimes, combining different elements in the OS can maximise the potential of the mobile suit. There is no real right and wrong when it comes to MS programming. Most pilots would adjust the OS when they get their own machines to suit their piloting skills, but accuracy must be provided by the OS developers, including the precision of the cameras."

Peering inside from the small panel located on the door, Athrun crossed his arms as he listened to Kira's lecture. There were quite a number of his students – twenty-three, he counted – who were interested in OS programming. He knew that Kira had studied the same thing in Heliopolis before the war. Athrun, however, had delved into practical mechanics before enlisting in ZAFT's academy.

He checked his watch. Kira would be finished soon.

Athrun leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed as he tapped his foot against the floor. Kira could have just rescheduled his class. He _knew_ they were arriving from Orb anyhow, but knowing Kira and his determination, it was useless. Even Lacus had said as much when she apologised for Kira's absence at home, hinting that perhaps _Athrun_ should drag him away from the academy. It was one thing that he did with little reluctance. He did have a small attachment to Heliopolis. It was the place he was reunited with Kira, though perhaps not under the best of circumstances.

"_I'd like all of you to start drafting your own OS with the specifications from this mobile suit. Submission in two weeks. Class dismissed._"

Athrun turned his eyes on the door as it opened. Students piled through, some excitedly talking about the food they were about to eat for lunch, some talking concernedly with each other about the assignment Kira had just given them. A few glanced his way, but nobody looked at him twice. Athrun supposed he probably wasn't that recognisable, dressed in civilian clothes with a shaded pair of glasses covering his eyes. Twenty-one students exited the room, meaning that there were two who still lingered. A smile formed on Athrun's lips. As a student, he was much like the two... He would stay behind and go over a few things with his teachers and ask if there was anything he did not understand. Yet, as time went by, Athrun had to sneak around quietly to see his teachers. Kira had usually been pumped and impatient once class ended, wanting nothing more than to go out and play. It amused Athrun to see him in the place of a professor now.

The two students finally exited the room and Athrun took his cue. He knocked on the door and entered, watching as Kira began to sort his papers and store his books away.

"Give me a moment, please."

"Cagalli would probably burn those books if you ask her to wait any longer," Athrun answered, amused.

Kira's head snapped up, the amethyst eyes widening in surprise. "Athrun?"

"Long time no see," Athrun smiled, walking over to his friend. Delighted, Kira stepped forward, embracing him. "Don't look so surprised. You knew we were coming."

"I didn't expect you'd come here to get me," Kira grinned. "How have you been?"

"I've been well. Cagalli also. But we'd both be spending our time in hospital if you don't _hurry up_."

Kira laughed, packing the last of his books away before taking his coat. Torii, the ever-present being by Kira's side, landed on the brown-haired Coordinator's shoulder, chirping eagerly enough. Signalling that they could leave now, the two walked out of the classroom, exchanging news with each other. It had been months since their last meeting despite both being Orb citizens. They just couldn't find the right time to meet up, though according to Athrun, Lacus and Cagalli were scheduling regular meetings now. Though they hardly met, they always found time, and they never failed to meet each other on the anniversary of Junius Seven and the end of the Artemis war.

Kira's sleek, dark navy car was already waiting for them when they reached the car park. On request, Athrun took the keys from his friend and proceeded in driving the car, feeling the whirr of the tyres under him. He was impressed. Since three years ago, both Kira and Athrun had made a hobby of customising their own transports, much as how they had with their mobile suits those years back. It was addicting, to constantly change the inner parts of their cars for something smoother, faster... It gave them both a hobby to talk about, anyhow. As they changed the topic to ion pumps and engine power, the car arced through the streets with ease, heading towards Kira's shared home with Lacus.

"I'm telling you, the rims look awesome!" Kira insisted, frowning at his best friend.

Athrun rolled his eyes. "It's not about what it looks like. So the Strike Rim looks great, but the Aegis Rim has a better _feel_ to it."

Kira snorted. "You're just saying that because it's the Aegis."

"And you're just saying that because it's the Strike."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

Athrun manoeuvred the car smartly into the gates of the large, white house that had come to greet them. It was a two-storey house, forming a U shape located right beside the ocean, true to Lacus's nature and love for the sea. Athrun stepped out and shut the door smartly, frustrated as ever with his best friend. He would give it up for now. Wait until Kira comes to Orb. He'd let the guy ride on his car and hear the comments _then_.

"Welcome back," a gentle voice greeted them. Athrun turned, spotting Lacus standing by the door. "So you finally managed to pull Kira away?" she asked, amused.

He laughed. "Somehow," he said, moving to walk towards her. "Where are the rest?"

"At the yard. Go on ahead, we've just begun to put the food out," Lacus answered. She stepped forward when Kira came closer, embracing him as she welcomed him home. Athrun smiled and walked into the house, leaving the two to have their private moment in peace.

Once in the house, Athrun only needed to walk across the landing in order to reach the sliding door on the other side, leading him to the enclosed yard that he had come to appreciate. It was a large yard. A third of it, on both sides covering the inner U of the house, was full of Lacus's flowers which she had tended to over the years. They bloomed beautifully, the colours mixing with each other in perfect harmony that was hard not to admire. To his right, folded tables were already laid out, covered with red and white checker sheets. Food of all types were waiting for them and Athrun could see, in amusement, rolled cabbages among the sandwiches, lasagne, chicken, salad, desserts and whatever else Lacus, Cagalli and Caridad had busied themselves with.

What silence was with him just a moment ago was broken as the cries of three children shattered the air. Athrun raised his eyebrows as they emerged from Lacus's flower bushes, all wielding toy guns and swords in their hands, laughing in delight at the new Kupo's that were attacking them with water. Athrun's mouth tugged into a smile as Lacus's multicoloured Haros emerged, their cries fuelling the chaos.

The first to emerge from the bushes was Kira's son, a gentle and usually-quiet boy whose features mirrored Kira almost to a T. He had the same shade of brown hair, wild and thick, though his build was perhaps just slightly smaller than an average child his age. The only feature from Lacus was his eyes, the same shade of azure blue which were now looking around frantically in search of a place to hide from the Kupos and Haros chasing after him.

Athrun and Cagalli's twins, a year younger than Akira, burst out of the bushes after their cousin. They both shared their parents' features equally, though it was obvious that Lenore was far livelier than Via. Lenore was a pretty child with Cagalli's golden hair and Athrun's green eyes while Via looked gentler, more graceful, with Athrun's shade of midnight blue hair and Cagalli's golden eyes. Though looking at them now, as they marched into battle with the mechanical toys, Via did not seem any less lively than Lenore was.

"No! No! Akira, shoot him! He's got me!"

"Nooooo! I'll protect you! Take that! And that! And _THAT!_"

The Kupo was one of Athrun's latest robotic toys that he had firstly built for Cagalli. It was white, with bat-like wings capable of flying, talking and all sorts of things... like shooting the children with invisible water guns. He watched, amused, as the brown-haired boy in front of him fired his own water gun, only to be ambushed by the Haros that came to the Kupo's rescue. The children screamed and one of his daughters, Lenore, brandished her sword and charged at full speed as she tried to save her fallen cousin.

"Ara ara... Everyone, what is this? Play a little quietly, please?" Lacus's voice made Athrun turn. He saw that Kira was frowning at the sight before him, shaking his head in defeat.

"Kupo was terrible!"

"Haro was going to eat Akira!"

"Poor Akira! He died a hero's death!"

"A hero!"

The twins, Lenore and Via, ran towards Lacus and latched themselves on both her legs, their eyes wide and teary. Athrun arched an eyebrow. Akira was still lying on the ground, doing an almost laughable impression of a fallen warrior.

"What's going on?"

Cagalli emerged from the door of the kitchen to their left, looking at her twins plastered to Lacus, to Akira still lying on the ground, to the twins again. There was a cake in her hands, and Caridad emerged from behind her, her hands holding a few bottles of juice. Kira immediately began to laugh, and Athrun couldn't help but chuckle slightly at Cagalli's expression. Lacus laughed, her right hand moving to caress Via's head before she moved over to her son's side, taking him in her arms.

"My... Whatever shall we do without our hero by our side?" she asked dramatically, stroking Akira's cheek gently. The ticklish feeling made the boy squirm slightly. "Perhaps it's time to name a new hero?"

"No way!" his eyes blinked open immediately, the gentle azure eyes defiant. "They can't be heroes! I'm older, I need to take care of them!"

"Now where have I heard that argument before?" Athrun murmured to Kira who could only laugh in embarrassment.

It took a while for Lacus to settle things down, at least enough so the children would realise that they were hungry and needed energy to continue playing. They sat in the yard, Akira moving to his father's side instantly to sit on his lap while eating. Via ate quietly on her own while Lenore had to be called every time for her to leave Kupo, taking a bite from whatever Athrun wanted to feed her before sprinting away again.

"I hear you've been appointed Admiral," Kira suddenly broke the silence, glancing at Akira once to make sure he was eating his vegetables. "Congratulations."

"And I heard you've been working on a new model," Athrun replied, arching his eyebrow.

Kira seemed surprised. "Where did you hear _that_ one from?" He was sure he had made it a secret. Publicity of his ideas, at least when he wasn't ready for it yet, alarmed him.

Athrun chuckled. "Lacus."

The other instantly relaxed. Kira paused for a moment. "Do you think it's a good idea?"

"I think we're ready for it," Athrun replied. It didn't answer Kira's question, but he appreciated the support enough. "So we're finally taking those mobile suits out again?"

"Soon," Kira agreed. "It's time we introduce antimatter technology to the world... At least as a propulsion system."

It was perhaps the least he could do, in order to commemorate the death of the scientist who had made it possible for Kira to fight during the last war. The antimatter hyper propulsion technology in the Freedom and Justice had been sealed away, developed and studied very quietly by Orb scientists and researchers. The two mobile suits, along with the Archangel, had long been stored away in an undisclosed location. People still held their faith that the Freedom was still out there somewhere, even if they didn't know where it was located. After so long, perhaps it was time for them to share the technology, at least in order to further develop their still-rising world.

Lenore came bouncing back to Athrun, taking a bite of the chicken he gave her, and sprinted away again. Kira watched her, a small smile on his lips as he looked at the glow in the familiar emerald green eyes.

Lenore and Via Zala were amongst the first, but definitely not the last, of half-Coordinator, half-Natural children. If humankind thought that Coordinators were advanced beings, then those like Lenore were much, much more. The increasing number of half-Coordinator children rose at a rate that reminded Kira of the Coordinator boom so many years ago. They were special in their own way, their potential yet to be determined though Reverend Malchio had told him of them having something more than just the SEED factor that he and Athrun had. Newtypes, some were beginning to call them. A new leap in humanity's advancements. This time, Kira welcomed the change.

It was one brought together and was made possible only with the uniting of Coordinators and Naturals.

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><p><strong>C.E 87 – Orb (One Year Later)<br>**

Dusk was beginning to settle in as two families walked back through the fields to where their cars were located. The wind sighed gently, carrying the scent of blooming flowers and the cool spring air. There was a small touch of the smell and feel of the earth and of clear water running down the hillside, though both were not visible to the eye as the fields were covered with tall yellow flowers that bloomed beautifully on the Earth where they stood. One could just taste the clean air, though the place was quiet save for the laughter of children, followed by the mechanical voices of electronic toys.

"Otou-san! Otou-san!"

A young, five-year-old boy with brown hair ran and laughed happily as a pair of twin girls chased after him. Five multi-coloured round mechanical toys chased after them and the twins laughed as the brown-haired boy tripped, falling flat on his chest. The boy immediately sputtered, his voice disgusted as he tried to wipe away the taste of dirt and grass from his tongue. He shuddered. One of the twins, a pretty blonde-haired girl with emerald green eyes crouched low, dusting the dirt off her cousin, still giggling. The other twin, with dark blue hair and golden eyes, turned to the five round toys and placed her hands on her hips, scolding them heatedly though her eyes betrayed her lack of anger at the Haros.

Standing ten fifteen feet from where the children were running around, Kira had turned as he heard his son call his name and he raised his eyebrows at the scene before him. Beside him, a blue-haired Coordinator chuckled to himself as the old Haros bounced up and down, some concerned, some reprimanding the three children.

"Ara ara… Akira, are you alright?"

The brown-haired boy raised his deep azure eyes to his mother, a beautiful young woman with cherry pink hair and eyes the same shade as his. His mother helped him to his feet and checked him for any scratches he might have obtained from the fall. "You should be more careful," Lacus said gently, smiling lightly.

The boy blinked. "It's Lenore's fault!"

"Is not!" the golden-haired girl protested. "It's Via's fault!"

"Hey! I didn't do anything!" the other twin said hotly.

"There, there. Enough, you two. Really, can't you go through an hour without fighting?" another voice sighed deeply. The two twins turned, their eyes cast low at the scolding they received. This time, it was Kira's turn to chuckle – the twins had obviously inherited Cagalli's energy and temper, making them two very lively children. Akira, his son, had often been called as 'little Kira' by Athrun – a rather quiet boy, though with talents that far surpassed many of those his age, even grown Coordinators that Kira knew of.

"Look!" Lenore suddenly exclaimed, her small finger pointing excitedly towards the sky. Simultaneously, six heads were raised to the sky and Kira's brows immediately pulled together as pieces of debris entered the atmosphere, creating a rather stunning display of something similar to a cluster of shooting stars. "It's so pretty!"

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, and Kira glanced momentarily at Athrun, both sharing the exact same thought as they stood facing the sky. The pieces of debris that fell were nothing but past memories of horrors and pain that the children knew nothing of. They were parts of ships and mobile suits, once piloted by brave soldiers who had fought for their own ideals, fuelled by hatred and desire. The pieces of debris told the story of war and anguish, some even containing the bodies of those who had fallen during the dark times when both Kira and Athrun had piloted their mobile suits in the name of peace. Such knowledge made it impossible for them to view the falling debris as pretty and Kira exhaled slowly, his lips forming a small smile as he watched. It was over now.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lacus's voice grabbed Kira's attention and he turned to her, seeing the sorrow behind her azure eyes. He nodded once, his arm moving to circle her shoulder.

"What is it?" Via asked, grabbing Athrun's arm to gain his attention. Athrun looked down at his daughter, taking her in his arms as he held her, his eyes turning back to the sky.

"They're falling pieces of debris. They burn when they enter the sky," Athrun explained.

"Ehhh? But what if they're important things?" Via exclaimed, her golden eyes surprised.

"...Then you'll need to make sure that you don't lose them again," Cagalli answered softly. The question silenced them, and Lacus nodded, agreeing quietly with the golden-haired princess's words. Athrun's lips tugged into a small smile and he grabbed his wife's hand, holding it tight.

Those moments, those years, so long some time after the wars, was what drove the four to keep on fighting. As Kira turned his eyes to all those around him, he realised that the world _was_ beautiful. Filled with innocent children who knew nothing of war and suffering, the world held its own beauty even as it tried to survive the devastation it had once endured. And as he turned his eyes to the sky once again, a green mechanical bird took off from his shoulder, flying, flying high, into the unknown of the skies.

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><p><em>AsuCaga4ever, WaaWaa, hakuMeyen, PrincessOfDestiny14, Freedom Tsuki, Magus-15IchiGo, PockyLovePeh, AngelicFox12, PathKeeper, Sleepyreader319, survivor18, nxkris, San17, StormriderX, rebirth-flame, GeneralTao01, skepsis66, 001Kamikakushi, Mathiasosx, quintilis, LuckyXIII, AWESOME, Atlantislux, Maderfole, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, IgNighted, DarrenrEal, Ninja Stars, Wraith Five, Windam X, Suomy Nona, Statius, Beitrix, Onymo Usan, Fate Anasthasia Alitheia, blackphoenix4ever, saveme57, WHAA, Twinklefeather, Apparocks, Torii, Anonymous<em>

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><p><strong>Special Thanks:<strong>

Sunrise, without which GS/D wouldn't be here, and there won't be such a fanfic like this.

Final Fantasy VII, for giving me such awesome names and ideas for mobile suits and their weapons.

Readers and reviewers, who gave me the motivation to write until this has finally been completed.

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><p><strong>Final Author's Note:<strong>

Six months! I can't believe that it took six months to end this fic, and you have no idea how much of a joy it's been, writing, reading your reviews, discussing with some readers, and the like. Thank you for staying with me for so long. I know that there are a lot of GS/D sequels out there, and also a number of remakes, but I hope you've found something unique from this fic that you've enjoyed or learned from. I wrote this with hope that we can be like our heroes, fighting to the end for peace for all in this world we share together.

Kupo is a tribute for FFVII that has helped me in mobile suit design more than once in this fic. If you want a visual picture, the thing's name is actually 'Moogle'.

Some of you may know that I have a new fic up already, titled GENESIS. It's a character development fic focusing on the Hibikis, Zalas and Siegels before the war. Feel free to check it out - I'd love to have more readers for the fic. And to any FFVII fans out there, I've also started a new fic under that category which will take first priority among the list of WIP fics I have.

I thank everyone who is reading this now, especially those who stayed for the long six months. I have only one request, especially to my silent readers out there. If you've finished reading, I'd like for you to drop a word. Whether a PM or a review, I'd love some critiques and comments that you can give to a young writer who is still looking for improvement. I'll reply to your reviews via PM after this, including the one for last chapter.

Hontou ni arigatou gozaimasu! Tanoshikatta desu. Ja, mata ne!


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